


The Many Adventures of St. Zoo High

by Helthehatter



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Angst, Comedy, F/M, Highschool AU, Lots of chapters, Multi, Romance, St. Zoo High, Zootopia - Freeform, got over 4k in ff.net, lots of relationships, teen drama, this is my masterpiece, though I'm not sure how
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-08-14 02:15:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 80
Words: 203,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7994989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helthehatter/pseuds/Helthehatter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Posting from my FF.net account.<br/>Highschool AU: Follow the adventures of 'The Zoo's' student body. From fluffy romance to tragic angst mixed in with sass and comedy. Staring all the original Zootopia characters and some of my OCs. Hope you enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Ch. 1:

Judy Hopps was eight years old when she met the fox that would change her life. Of course, she was only eight so she didn’t know that at the time. It all started when she went with her father on a delivery trip to Zootopia. From the passenger seat the little gray rabbit looked out the window in, in awe of the large buildings and multitude of mammals. Unlike the rest of her siblings who were happy to live their lives out in Bunnyburrow, she long to come and live in Zootopia and…be something _amazing_. She wanted to be the bunny that stood out amongst the rest.

When Stu Hopps parked beside the store that sold his produce Judy quickly unbuckled and jumped out of the truck, hopping in place as her father headed inside to get help moving the cartons of carrots in the back of his truck.

“Can I look around, Daddy?” she asked excitedly, looking out on the streets full of mammals much larger than her, and some much smaller. “Can I? Can I?”

Stu cast her an uncertain look, “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea, Jude the Dude. This isn’t like taking a walk in the tri-burrows.” Stu was naturally protective of all of his children but he tended to be overprotective of Judy as she was the only one who loved the thrill of danger, he still shuddered remembering that windmill weasel incident.

His daughter’s ears drooped in disappointment and she stopped hopping, “But Daddy! I’ll be real careful! And I won’t go far!”

“Maybe next time, honey,” her father told her just before they walked into the store and found the shop owner. But while the two adults shared a polite conversation Judy started to back away slowly, she even tried to breath quieter. She knew her dad loved her and just wanted her to be safe, but Judy would never let it go if she gave up a chance to see the bright, big city where anyone could be anything.

Finally she managed to get close enough to the sliding glass door and dashed out, out to the parking lot and to the street. She was a bunny who never broke her promises so she would not go far. Judy skipped down the sidewalk; smiling at the mammals she passed who either smiled back or gave her confused looks (she _was_ a young bunny on her own after all). She passed by an old alleyway that she guessed used to hold a garden what with the dry yellow grass now in patches. But that wasn’t what made Judy stop, what made her halt was who was in the alley. A chubby red fox and a scrawny little weasel were laughing meanly at a harassed looking young mouse who looked on the verge of tears.

Judy’s brow furrowed and before she knew it was stomping into the patch of land, “Hey!”

Her sudden yell had the three mammals turning to stare at her with surprise, but the fox curled his lip in a nasty grin when she saw she was only a bunny.

“Leave him alone,” Judy ordered, standing her ground and putting her paws on her hips.

“Aw, look at that, Travis,” the fox told his friend as he walked over to stand over Judy. “Dumb little bunny thinks she can tell us what to do.”

The mouse quickly scurried out of the alley but Judy kept her eyes on the fox, not to be intimidated. “I’m not afraid of you,” she huffed, “You’re just a bully!”

“You should be,” the fox snarled, “I’m a predator and you’re just a tiny little prey.”

“But I’m bigger than you’ll ever be!” Judy declared.

The fox snarled and suddenly pushed her, knocking her to the ground. Judy let out a cry as pain shot up her leg and she saw a line of red on her left leg.

The fox laughed harshly, “Look at ‘er Travis!”

The weasel was chuckling, “Her lil nose is twitching!”

Anger boiled up in her stomach and then she shot her right leg up, kicking the fox square in the nose. He let out a yell of pain and placed a paw over his now bleeding nose. Judy’s satisfaction quickly melted when the fox narrowed his now steely eyes at her. “You’re gonna regret that.”

He lifted his paw, the claws flashing, and made for her face. Judy’s eyes closed shut, her entire body tensed in fear. But the strike never came.

Confused, Judy opened one eye to see a new red fox, this one standing on front of her, blocking her from the two bullies. This fox wore a Junior Ranger Scout’s uniform. Judy gasped when she saw the three bleeding scratch marks on his cheek. He had shielded her!

The chubby fox stared at the newcomer in shock before scowling, “Get lost you weirdo!”

“ _You_ get lost!” the scout snarled so viciously that even Judy flinched.

“Make me!” the bully shot back. The scout took a threatening step forward and the chubby fox took a step back, despite his big talk he wasn’t willing to fight a mammal his own size.

He snorted rudely, “Come on, Travis. I’m bored.” Shooting venomous looks the two bullies walked around the rabbit and fox and disappeared out into the street.

“You better run you jerks!” Judy yelled out triumphantly before turning to her rescuer. “Are you okay?” she asked the exact same time the fox asked the exact same question.

“I’m not the one bleeding,” Judy told him, looking with concern at the scratches on his cheek.

“Yes, you are,” the fox knelt before her and looked at the bleeding cut on her leg. “You must have landed on a sharp rock.”

“It’s just a small cut,” she said easily. Judy was far more concerned about the fox’s blood than her own.

“Let me bandage it anyway.” He pulled out a handkerchief and wrapped it around her leg with an intricate knot. He grinned at her impressed look, “When you’re a Junior Ranger Scout you learn lots of stuff.”

“Cool, but what about your scratch marks?”

“I’ll be fine, they’ll be awesome scars.” He pulled her to her feet, still grinning. He was taller than her and looked to be a couple of years older, and he had the prettiest shade of green eyes. Judy’s ears lowered and she suddenly felt bashful.

The fox looked over her head at where the bullies had run off, “What happened? I saw you kick that fox in the nose.” He broke into a snicker, “His face was hilarious!”

Judy smiled proudly, “He was bulling a poor mouse. I showed him a lesson.”

The fox’s smile widened and he looked Judy up and down, his eyes warm. “You’re a pretty cool bunny.”

Judy’s little heart pattered faster at the compliment, but before she could say anything more her ears stood erect. A familiar voice was calling her, her father. “My dad’s calling for me, I need to go!”

The fox looked around, his fluffy ears twitching, “I don’t hear anything.”

“Bunnies have really good hearing,” she told him, looking around at the ground. Her eyes shined when she spotted a small violet flower sticking out from a patch of old grass. She quickly plucked it and handed it to the fox, “Here you go, this is a thank you for rescuing my leg.”

He took it, looking bashful. “No-no problem,” he stuttered shyly.

“And _this_ is for rescuing _me_.” She leaned on her tip toes and placed a quick kiss on the fox’s uninjured cheek. And then the little bunny was hopping away before she could see her rescuer’s reaction. Her heart was pounding and her lips were warm as she returned to her father. Too late she realized she hadn’t even asked the fox’s name.


	2. Chapter 2

_Seven years later_

Judy Hopps was stoked, after years of living in calm, boring Bunnyburrow she had finally managed to convince her parents to let her attend her high school years in the metropolis of Zootopia.

It had taken a lot of begging and pleading and promising, but finally Stu and Bonnie relented after her Aunt Weiss and Uncle Herbert (who lived in Zootopia) offered her a place in their house. As long as Judy kept her grades up and stayed out of trouble she would spend four years at St. Zoo High, arguably the biggest school in the large city, and one of the best.

Judy arrived at her aunt and uncle; her hyperactive aunt welcomed her gleefully as well as her fourteen children (officially the smallest litter of the Hopps family), all excited to see their cousin. They lived in a house that was more tall than wide, its neighboring houses packed up against each other like sardines in a can. All the bedrooms of the house were already taken so her uncle had cleared up the attic for Judy which she was excited for, it was a small room but it was just for _her_.

That night, looking out the small round circle that was the attic’s window Judy stared at the buildings of Zootopia, her excitement over tomorrow keeping her from sleep. Tomorrow she would go to a giant school, she’d get a chance to try so many new things and make so many new friends. When she finally did get to sleep it was with a smile on her face.

The next morning Judy skipped her way to St. Zoo, it being walking distance from her aunt and uncle’s house. She wore her favorite shirt, pink with a pattern of flowing leaves across her hip and chest, and her own pair of jeans that weren’t stained with farm dirt or ripped at the knees, her back pack, full of brand new notebooks, pencils, and other school supplies.

She stepped around the corner of a Stagbucks and there it was, down the hill, two large buildings of silvery gray that were shaped like capital Ts. She noticed that the roofs of said buildings were flat and she could make out a few mammals standing on them. Next to the first and larger building was a giant oval-shaped field that she saw made up the football/soccer/and even track field. But the smaller building wasn’t without each own decoration, it stood right next to a large courtyard full of tables and food trucks. And of course, there were mammals, tons and tons of mammals. From rabbits, to weasels, to foxes, to bears, lions, tigers, elephants, giraffes, _every mammal in the world_! All here in one place with so many different personalities and dreams. Judy let out a squeal of delight and dashed down the hill and through the arched entrance.

She passed through the loud, chattering crowds, making her way to the front entrance where she would find the counselor and get her school books and schedule.

“Miss Hopps?” a sweet voice spoke up and Judy turned to see a sheep, she was wearing a white cotton shirt and plaid skirt, and big glasses, she held a clipboard to her chest and had a friendly smile on her face.

“Yes?” Judy asked.

“I’m-”

A lion in expensive clothes suddenly appeared at their side, offering a large paw to her. “Judy Hopps? New freshman straight from Bunnyburrow? I’m Leodore Lionheart, senior and class president.”

He turned his smile at the sheep who adopted the expression of an exasperated mother. “This is my assistant, Dawn Bellwether.”

“I’m not your assistant, Leo,” Dawn replied huffily, “I’m the vice president. He’s your assistant.” She pointed behind the lion and Judy noticed a reddish brown rabbit behind him, carrying heavy looking books.

He offered a sweet smile to Judy who returned it.

“Anyway, we were asked to show you were the counselor’s office is,” Dawn went on. “This school can be a little like a maze to us little guys.”

She nodded gratefully, wondering if these three would be her close knit group of friends who go through many high school adventures with her. “I’d love that, thank you.”

They led her inside where Leodore talked to her, “This is my final year at the glorious St. Zoo before I leave it to little Miss Bellwether the sophomore over there.”

“She’s one of smartest mammals in this school,” the assistant rabbit said from where he trailed behind them, keeping his eyes on the floor so he wouldn’t trip.

“And one of the scariest,” Leodore said with a playful shudder, making Judy giggle and Dawn scowl.

“I am not scary,” the sheep huffed.

“Maybe bossy is the better word,” Leodore rephrased thoughtfully, a finger on his chin and his eyes looking up at the ceiling.

Dawn’s scowl deepened, “I am not bossy either!”

“Oh, well now you’re just in denial, Lamb.”

The two continued arguing and even though Judy had only known them for a few minutes she learned they were good friends. Leaving them to it she slowed down so her pace matched the assistant rabbit.

“So, what’s your name?” she asked, feeling comforted by seeing another rabbit even if she had come for the diversity Zootopia had to offer.

“Percival Sprintly,” the rabbit smiled politely, “But just call me Percy. I’m a freshman too.”

“I didn’t miss anything important last week, did I?” Judy asked, she had missed her first week in order to help her family with her last carrot harvest.

“Not much,” Percy replied with a shrug. “You look like a smart girl, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble catching up. Focus more on what kind of group you’ll be in.”

“Group?” Judy echoed.

“Like with Mr. President and Bellwether over there,” he nodded to the lion and sheep. “It had only taken me three days to convince them to let me be their assistant.”

Judy frowned, not really sure what that sounded like. But Percy certainly seemed happy, and Leodore and Dawn looked nice enough.

Finally they made it the counselor’s office but not before spotting a shirtless yak in the principal’s office.

“Oh my gosh,” Dawn quickly looked away, her face hot.

“That would be Yax,” Leodore laughed, “He’s our school’s own little naturalist enthusiast.”

The counselor was a smiling hippo named Mrs. Huger who was apparently on very good terms with Bellwether, the two having a nice chat while Judy waited for her schedule and books, Lionheart and Percy waiting outside the hall.

“Would you like us to walk you to homeroom?” Bellwether asked politely after Judy got her schedule and books.

“I think I can handle it on my own,” Judy said, studying her schedule.

“I don’t want to keep you from your own classes.”

“I’ll have to drag Leodore to class either way,” Dawn sighed warily. “He’s such an idiot.”

“He looks funny,” Judy commented.

“He _is_ funny,” the sheep assured, “He’s just also an idiot.”

Judy waved goodbye as they walked down separate hallways, Judy paying close attention to the different numbers of each door she passed. In a less crowded hallway she passed an open door labeled music room, curious she peeked her head inside to see a few mammals already inside. A small fennec fox that looked like a toddler was examining a saxophone while a black-furred bobcat and a reindeer marveled over a very pretty piano that looked new. Not far from the reindeer was a gorgeous artic fox who noticed Judy watching them. She winked at the rabbit and waved a paw; Judy smiled and waved back before stepping back into the hall.

The next open door she found was the gym. A large room full of equipment and volleyball net, she also noticed a door farther in labeled pool. While there were more mammals in here than the music room she really only took notice of a cape buffalo lifting very heavy looking weight and a pretty cheetah tossing the volleyball around. But she also noticed a crowd of other mammals, whoever they were surrounding Judy couldn’t make out though.

Shrugging she continued onward and finally found her homeroom. Inside most of the desks were already taken while the teacher’s desk was temporarily empty. She walked over and saw an empty desk beside a chubby cheetah and a little arctic shrew who was wearing an expensive looking dress.

“Excuse me,” Judy spoke up, getting the two chatting mammals attention. “Is this seat taken?”

“No, go on ahead,” the cheetah smiled at her before turning back to his friend to continue their conversation.

Judy climbed into the desk and pulled out her school supplies; with everything set she knitted her fingers together and waited for the class to start.

Suddenly a scrawny weasel rushed into the room and scrambled under the desk an elephant occupied. Most of the mammals laughed while others looked annoyed. Judy’s brow knit at the trembling creature before hearing the loud stomping of footsteps.

A honey badger stepped in, her glaring eyes looking around.

“I know you’re here, Duke Weaselton!” she growled, “I can smell your fear!”

The mammals laughed again but none ratted out the weasel, Judy suspected they were enjoying watching the hunt.

“What did he do this time, Honey?” the cheetah asked with a laugh.

“He stole my dessert jar of honey again,” the badger snapped, her nose twitching as she tried to smell the weasel out.

“I told him a thousand times to back off or I’d put him in a jar!”

Just then the bell rang and their teacher, an antelope, walked in. “Good morning class. Honey, take your seat, Weaselton, get out from under Jerry’s chair.”

The class laughed once more as the weasel popped into view and made his way to the back of the room. Honey sat down in the front of the class, her entire body seeming to vibrate with rage.

“Before we start we have a new student, a Judy Hopps.”

Her ears perked as a dozen eyes turned to look at her, she tried to look as friendly and smart as possible. But the attention on her quickly passed as her classmates turned back to their teacher.

He gave her a polite smile, “It’s nice to meet you, Judy. Now, who can tell me where we left off last week?”

.

For the next two periods Judy focused only on catching up, not taking the time to talk to any of her classmates, she’d get to that when she had successfully caught up. Lunch came and Judy walked into the cafeteria, admiring the nice looking tables and booths, so far this school was so much better than Burrow High.

Today’s lunch tables were set up buffet style, Judy picked out steam-fried carrots and chips of cabbage, finishing it off with a bottle of water and nabbing the last donut. She stepped away from the food and looked around, wondering if she should try and get invited to the already occupied tables or sit on her own and maybe attract the attention of other mammals who didn’t have a seat.

A heartbroken wail had her looking over her shoulder to see the chubby cheetah from homeroom. She had learned from the teacher that his name was Benjamin Clawhauser, and he was staring mournfully at the empty donut tray. “I was too late again!”

Judy’s ears drooped guilty at the cheetah’s shattered expression as he turned and started to walk off. She hurried over to him and cleared her throat, “Benjamin?”

The cheetah looked down at her, looking surprised that she was talking to him. “You’re that new bunny, Judy, right?”

She nodded, “Yeah, and silly me I forgot I was on a diet.” She looked down at her tray, “Just after I got a donut, too. You wouldn’t mind taking it off my paws would you? I’d hate to waste it.”

He placed his paws over his heart and wore a touched smile, “Really?”

She smiled and extended her tray, “Go ahead.”

He took the donut and seemed to swallow it in one gulp, letting out a relieved breath and nearly shagging to the floor, “Wow did I need that pick me up.” He straightened, “Thanks, you’re so nice. Oh hey, wanna sit with me? My friend Fru Fru’s out having lunch with her dad so I’m all alone today.”

Judy’s smile grew and she nodded eagerly, “I’d love to.”

The two sat across from each other at a booth, Clawhauser having gotten his own tray that was piled with bug burgers and slices of pie.

“So, you’re a freshman right?” he asked between bites of his meal.

Judy nodded, swallowing her carrot before speaking, “I just moved here from Bunnyburrow.”

“And how do you like it so far?”

“Actually, I haven’t really had a chance to look around and stuff since I’m catching up with the week I missed.”

Judy shrugged, “But that won’t take long. As for what I’ve already seen, I really like it. Everything’s just so much bigger than Bunnyburrow. And I can’t wait to meet more mammals.”

“Well there’s plenty of them,” Clawhauser smiled. “We’re all weird and crazy and from different walks of life. Let me point out a few I personally know.”

He looked around the cafeteria and then grinned, “Ah ha! To your right you’ll see St. Zoo’s number one couple.”

Judy looked to where he pointed to see two sloths sharing a table together, feeding each other spoonfuls of jello. Or at least, they were in the process of it, their arms moving achingly slow. But you could hardly notice that once you saw the adoringly looks they shared, dreamy smiles on their faces.

“That’s Flash and Priscilla,” Clawhauser told her, “They’ve been going steady since kindergarten.”

She looked at him in surprise, “That long huh?”

“Well, they’ve been on maybe ten dates since they started dating,” he said, “They have to plan it carefully with plenty of spare time because; you know…they’re sloths, but aren’t they the cutest?” He sighed dreamily and rested his chin in his paws, smiling at the two, “The entire school ships them.”

“Aw,” Judy smiled at the two sloths. She hadn’t thought about finding a boyfriend at St. Zoo. But the thought of finding someone to spoon feed jello to made her excited, but that couldn’t be her number one goal…at least not yet.

.

She was heading down the hall to her final period when she spotted him-him being her future bane of existence.

But she didn’t know that yet.

Judy saw a lean red fox talking to that Duke Weaselton, said weasel looking incredibly annoyed but the fox look as cool as ice.

He was leaning against a locket, his elbows resting against the metal and his ankles crossed, his tail swishing lazily. He wore a slightly wrinkled white shirt under a black leather jacket with ripped jeans. His green eyes looked down at Duke with a lazy expression.

“Look, Duke,” the fox spoke up, his voice just as lethargic as his expression, “You can’t keep giving me an I.O.U. If you want some of my stash you have to pay up just like everyone else.”

Judy halted, her eyes widening. What kind of ‘stash’ was this fox talking about? She took a step back and hid behind a trash bin to listen.

“Come on, Wilde,” Duke begged his eyes wide and lip pouting out as he tried to look pure and innocent. “I need my pick me up.”

“And I need a decent TV show that doesn’t: a) get canceled, or b) have its quality slowly dwindle until I beg for it to be over.” Wilde shrugged, “Life’s not a wish granting factory. Besides, you stole from my girl _again_ , and I take offense to that.”

“Honey doesn’t mind,” Duke tried to wave the words away. “Besides, she’s a beast she’ll kill me when I least expect it, you don’t need to defend her.”

“I don’t have to but I certainly can,” the fox replied. “Now, cash or pass, Weaselton.”

The skinny mammal let out a defeated sigh before digging his paw into his back pocket and pulling out a fistful of bills. “Fine, you win.”

“I always do,” Wilde grinned, taking the money and counting (straightening the bills as he did so) before placing it in his pocket. He pushed himself off the locker before turning around and opening it.

Judy leaned forward with a hammering heart, wondering what illegal thing the shifty fox was selling. Her jaw dropped when Nick pulled out a couple of soft drinks and tossed them to the weasel who grabbed the cans and held them to his chest, grinning gleefully and scurrying away.

The fox watched him disappear around the corner before he suddenly spoke: “I know I’m handsome and all but stalking is a crime.”

She jumped as the fox turned his head to look at her, she had been caught. Had he known she was there the whole time?

“I wasn’t stalking you,” she walked over to him, “I was watching.”

“Which is still pretty creepy,” the fox replied, closing the locker and leaning his shoulder against it. “You’re new, aren’t you Carrots?”

Her brow knit (Carrots?) before she spoke, “Yes, I just got here. I’m Judy Hopps.”

“Wilde. Nick Wilde,” he offered her a paw which she shook.

“So, is this what you do?” she asked, looking at his locker, “Selling soft drinks to the student body?”

“I also sell coffee from seven to ten,” he added. “You’d be surprise how much money teenagers are willing to spend when caffeine is on the line.”

Judy _had_ noticed that the school only sold caffeine-free drinks. “Isn’t this against the rules?”

“Oh, yes,” Nick answered, resting his arm against the locker, “Selling cola to minors? I might as well be a mafia boss.”

She rolled her eyes, “Aren’t you scared of getting in trouble?”

“Personally I like the thrill,” the fox bared his teeth as his grin widened; “You ever get like that, Carrots? Do something forbidden that you know your parents wouldn’t approve of but you just have to know what he-I mean it-tastes like?”

She scowled, “No, never. And personally I don’t think it’s morally right to take advantage of your caffeine depraved classmates.”

“You say unethical,” Nick replied, “I say good business.”

“You’re only in high school,” Judy pointed out. “What are you, a sophomore?”

“Ha! I’m a junior, baby,” Nick answered, “And I’m getting a good understanding on how the business world works. Now, your uppity ‘I hate fun’ vibe is going to scare off potential customers. Either buy a drink or hop along.”

He actually made a shooing motion with his paw and Judy had to make sure to keep a level head.

“I want to help you,” she told him.

“Thanks for the offer Carrotpop but I don’t need an assistant to sell soda and count ones.” He then examined her in a way that left her completely flustered. “But if I need a stress reliever I’ll be sure to give your cute little cotton tail a call.”

“Don’t call me cute,” she snapped then tried to take a deep breath. “I know it seems harmless now, but soon enough selling cola won’t be enough and you’ll start selling more serious things like pot and it will just keeping going downhill from there and I-”

The fox barked out a laugh, startling her into silence. “Wow! You see a fox do something even remotely shady and he’s suddenly the scum of the earth?”

“This has nothing to do with you being a fox!”

“Sure it’s not,” he rolled his eyes. “I can read you like a book. You’re a very simple read, kinda boring too.”

Judy was ready to smack the smug grin off his face. “If you won’t listen to me I’ll inform a member of the faculty about your ‘business’.” She made air quotes on the last word.

“Of course you’ll give me that threat,” Nick replied, not sounding bothered in the least. “That’s chapter one: the tattle tail. But you’re going to keep quiet.”

She curled her lip, “Why’s that?”

“Chapter two: the crowd pleaser. Little Miss Tattle Tail longs to make a ton of friends and have everyone love her!” His voice was mockingly cheerful as he spoke. “But if you tell on me I tell on you and then the entire school knows they lost their caffeine privileges to the brand new freshman.” He grinned nastily, “Try making friends after that.”

Before she could retort the bell rung, signaling the start of class. The class she was not in. “I’m gonna be late!” she cried out, glaring at the fox. “This is all your fault.”

“Chapter three: The Whiner. The bunny blames her failure on everything but herself.”

“Oh just shut _up_ ,” she nearly shrieked and ran past him down the hall. His laughter followed her, along with his final words: “Welcome to The Zoo, Carrots! I hope you enjoy your stay!”


	3. Chapter 3

Judy returned to her aunt and uncle gushing about her new day and absolutely avoiding any topic that could lead to her meeting of a certain fox. And the next day she got up, got dressed and skipped breakfast, promising her uncle she’d eat at school. In truth she wanted to get to school early so she could have time to chat with Clawhauser before the first bell.

Before she had left lunch yesterday the cheetah had invited her to sit with him tomorrow so he could introduce her to his friend Fru Fru (‘she’s an angel, you’ll love her’), and Judy had happily agreed. But she knew she was too impatient to wait for lunch so why not go ahead and introduce herself in homeroom?

Arriving at St. Zoo she found a couple of early birds, most of them staff, had beaten her there. She made it through the front hall, her ears pricking up as she heard a song coming out of the music room.

She stepped to the edge of the still open door, peeking in to see the cougar from yesterday playing a trumpet like a pro, the reindeer now playing like mad on the new-looking piano.

Judy found herself tapping to the catchy beat of the unknown song they were playing, the foot tapping quickly turned to hip wiggling. And when that tiny fox (that had been behind a chair and therefore hidden from her sight) pulled out a guitar and strummed the strings she found herself jumping up and down to the music. Eyes closed and smiling as she let the energy burn off any drowsiness she still carried.

Then quite suddenly her fist smacked into something solid, she head a surprised yelp behind her followed by a thump.

She whirled around to see a fox sitting on his rump, his paws covering his nose. For a second Judy thought it was that nasty Nick Wilde, but then with horror she realized this fox’s red fur was darker, and his eyes blue.

“Oh my gosh!” she gasped, kneeling before him, her eyes wide. “I am so, so, so, sorry! It was an accident!”

“I should hope so,” the fox winced, pulling his paws away from his nose and flexing his snout, “Am I bleeding?”

Judy studied his face, taking note that he was very handsome, before shaking her head. “No, you’re not bleeding, but that doesn’t make me feel less awful!” She waved her paws frantically as she continued, “I’m really, really, sorry I can’t believe I did that, I was just listening to music and I got really into it but that’s no excuse and-”

“Hey, hey, hey,” he interrupted, taking her paws in his to stop her flailing. “These are very strong paws, but I don’t think they’re quite big enough to break something yet. But you keep trying.” He winked and Judy felt her shoulders sag with relief. “Listening to music, were you?” he perked his ears to listen to the still ongoing song. “Can’t say I blame you, Bobby, Sven, and Finnick know their way around those instruments.”

He smiled at her, “It would cause any bunny to do a binky.”

Her brow knit, “Binky?”

His smile vanished and he quickly pulled his paws away, fiddling with his thumbs in an embarrassed manner. “You know? Binky: that happy jump and twist thing rabbits do.”

“I know what binky means,” she replied, still looking at him with surprise. “I just didn’t think a fox-or any mammal, really, would know too. I’ve meant other rabbits who don’t even know the word, much less what it means.”

“Does it bother you?” he asked with concern. She shook her head quickly, “Actually I find the use of the phrase both intellectual and refreshing.” She smiled.

The fox returned the grin, “Oh, where are my manners? I’m Rick.”

“My name’s Judy.” She then noticed the back pack on the floor next to them, books having spilled out. “Let me help you,” she reached forward and picked the backpack up.

“Thank you,” he said softly, helping her place his books up.

Picking up the last one Judy’s jaw dropped when she saw the title. “The Evening Society?!” She looked at the fox in utter surprise, “You’ve read it?”

“You’ve read it?” Rick looked equally surprised.

“I found a copy in my grandpa’s study when I was in middle school,” she lovingly stroked the cover. “It’s one of my favorite books of all time.”

Rick was looking at her with newfound interest, “I’ve never met anyone who’s ever read it before.”

“Me neither,” she replied, placing the severely underrated book inside the backpack before handing it to the fox. “We should get together and talk about it sometime.”

“I’d really like that,” Rick replied sincerely.

Judy nodded and jumped to her feet, “Okay, I need to go. I want to be early for homeroom.”

He stood up as well, “See you around then?”

“Definitely, bye Rick!” she waved goodbye as she dashed down the hall, the fox waving back until she was out of sight.

.

Judy’s ears perked up when Clawhauser entered the room, Fru Fru walking beside him.

The cheetah beamed when he caught sight of her and quickly walked over, “Fru Fru, this is that sweet bunny I told you about.”

“Hi, darling,” Fru Fru greeted as Clawhauser placed her on her desk, “So nice to meet you.”

“Hi,” Judy offered a small wave. “I love your hair.”

“Aw, thank you,” Fru Fru ran a hand through her coiffure as she accepted the compliment. “Benny told me you saved him from his donut famine.”

“She did,” the cheetah insisted, sitting between the two. “I would’ve have to gone the entire day without my true love! You can’t have a nice guy like me go through that.”

“No, never that,” Fru Fru rolled her eyes with a fondness.

“You can’t just bring donuts to school?” Judy asked. She wondered if Nick Wilde ever sold sugary sweets at his locker, and then she mentally smacked herself for even thinking of that jerk.

“There’s no donut shops on the route from here to my house,” Clawhauser answered mournfully.

“And he lost his donut privileges at home,” Fru Fru added.

Judy’s brow furrowed, “How do you-”

“Id rather not talk about it,” Clawhauser broke in quickly, looking on the verge of tears.

Just then the bell rang, signaling that class had begun.

.

At lunch the cafeteria was more noisy than usual so the two invited Judy to eat outside with them. The three walked to the field and made themselves comfortable on the bleachers, watching the track team practice.

Clawhauser had _run_ to the cafeteria today, at a speed that was pretty impressive for a mammal his size, and managed to fill his tray with donuts. Judy had gotten more of her decided usual and Fru Fru had brought a fancy packed lunch, explaining that her father was one of the richest mammals in Zootopia and had their chief fix her favorite meals every day.

Judy sat between the two and listened as they told her about themselves and their favorite hobbies but she quickly learned their favorite topic was talking about their classmates.

“Just so many different mammals go here,” Fru Fru explained, “It’s all so interesting to me.”

Judy smiled, “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to come here.”

“What are the other reasons,” Clawhauser asked, taking a loud sip from his juice box.

“I just wanted to see and do bigger things,” she shrugged, “Be more than just a bunny from Bunnyburrow.”

“Chapter four!” a familiar voice suddenly spoke up. “The hopeless dreamer!”

On the other side of the fence that separated the field from the bleachers stood Nick Wilde, leaning his back against said fence and looking at Judy over his shoulder. “The little bunny moves to the city, wanting to make it big, maybe be a doctor or a movie star. At least until she realize it was all for naught and runs back home with her cotton tail between her legs.”

“Oh _bite me_ ,” Judy snapped viciously.

Nick pulled his lips back into a grin, “Tempt me.”

He pushed himself off the fence and walked out into the field, Judy then noticed he was wearing a track uniform.

Clawhauser and Fru Fru chuckled. “So I see you’ve already met the famous Nick Wilde,” the cheetah teased lightly.

“He’s the worst,” Judy pouted, glaring at the fox’s back. He was talking to a sloth she recognized as Flash and the pretty cheetah she had seen in the gym yesterday.

“Don’t let him get to you, sweetie,” Fru Fru insisted, “He’s like that to everyone, even his friends.”

Judy looked at the arctic shrew incredulously, “He has friends?”

“Yep, he’s good friends with Flash and…those two,” she pointed to a familiar honey badger and fennec fox that were now climbing into the bleachers, making themselves comfortable on the first row. “That’s Honey and Finnick.”

Before Judy could ask more another duo of mammals climbed up into the bleachers, the reindeer and arctic fox from the music room, said reindeer sitting down on the bleachers and resting his chin in his hooves, his eyes staring out at the track field. The artic fox sat beside him and patted his shoulder comfortingly.

“Oh, you wanna know more about Nick Wilde?” Fru Fru asked, “There’s the only expert that doesn’t like him. Winter, darling!”

The fox looked over and smiled at the shrew, “Hi, Fru. What’s up?”

“We got a new student, her name’s Judy, and she got put in Nick’s radar.”

Winter let out a sigh, “Sven, sweetie, I’ll be right back.” She climbed up the steps to sit between Judy and Clawhauser. “What would you like to know? His weaknesses, do you plan on destroying him?”

“Oh-uh, no,” Judy quickly said, not that the offer wasn’t tempting.

“Then what do you want to know?”

She remembered something the red fox had said yesterday to Duke, “Is he dating Honey?”

Winter burst out laughing, “No, no, no, they are strictly platonic. Honey is the only female besides his mother that can stand hanging out with him.”

“What about you?” Clawhauser asked. Winter frowned, “Honey is the only female besides his mother that can stand hanging out with him…sober.”

“Sober?” Judy echoed.

“Winter and Nick were kind of a thing for a while,” Fru Fru explained.

“Don’t insult me, Fru,” Winter replied, “We were never a thing, we just fooled around at a couple of parties. Nick Wilde doesn’t do commitments and I am a girl who needs to be swept off her feet before she hands her heart to anyone.”

A horn blew, a signal for the track team, and then they were running across the field. Judy saw Nick was on the same team as Flash and the cheetah.

Honey and Finnick cheered their friend on wildly.

Judy had to admit Nick was a fast runner, not as fast as the cheetah but he looked like he could keep pace with herself, and when it was Flash’s turn to run Nick jogged at the side of the track, encouraging his friend as the sloth slowly, _slowly_ ran.

But realizing she was staring at the fox far too long for someone who didn’t like him Judy forced her eyes to wander and they ended up at the reindeer Winter called Sven. He was watching the field with a melancholy yet thoughtful look in his eyes.

“Is that your friend?” Judy asked the arctic fox, pointing at the reindeer.

She nodded, looking at said friend with motherly concern. “That’s Sven Jingle, I’ve known him since elementary school. You’ll have to forgive his sad look; he’s usually not like this.”

“Is something wrong?”

“See that cheetah out there,” Winter indicated to said mammal who was taking a sip from her bottled water. “Her name is Charlotte Spotwood, also known as Charlie, and she and Sven were inseparable as kids. Everyone joked that they were a couple but it never bothered them, but right before they started middle school Sven had to move across country with his parents. Poor Charlie was heartbroken. But come freshman year Sven finally returned and he thought everything would go straight back to normal…Charlie had her ‘special’ way of telling him that wasn’t going to happen.”

“Special way?” Judy asked.

“She punched Sven right in the face.” She started to smirk, “He’s my friend and I know I _shouldn’t_ have laughed, but I did anyway…like, his legs went up in the air and everything.”

“Poor thing,” Judy looked at the reindeer with newfound sympathy.

"Falling in love is like riding a rollercoaster,” Clawhauser spoke up. “There are ups and downs and all the while you’re holding on for dear life and hoping you don’t fall.”

Winter and Fru Fru nodded at him, impressed by the wording.

And then a new voice spoke up: “Binky!”

Judy turned her head to see Rick climbing up onto the bleachers, smiling excitedly at her and she was quick to return the smile, not noticing the other three’s shocked faces as he walked up to them.

“Hi, Rick,” she stepped off her seat and walked over to the fox. “Binky, you said?”

He smiled a little bashfully, “Yeah, I thought it was a fitting way to remember how we first met.”

She chuckled, still a little embarrassed, “Then should I call you Broken Snout? How is your nose anyway?”

“Still a little tender, but nothing I can’t take.” He reached into the pack slung over his shoulder, “Anyway that’s not what I was hunting you down for. You like The Evening Society so I was wondering if you’d read any of Franklin Bearstain’s other works.”

Judy stared at him, “He wrote _other_ books?”

Rick chuckled at her look and pulled out a novel entitled ‘The Wolf King.’ “It’s my second favorite and I thought you’d like it.”

Judy accepted the book with a grateful smile, “This is so nice. Thank you so much.”

“It’s no problem; I’ve always wanted to find another fan of his books. We can talk about that too, maybe…what about lunch time tomorrow?”

“Oh, well,” she glanced at her friends who were still watching them in silence. “I was going to have lunch with Benjamin and Fru Fru…”

“But she can have lunch with us any old time,” Fru Fru spoke up.

“That’s right,” Clawhauser agreed, “And far be it from us to get in the way of bonding book worms.”

Rick smiled gratefully at them, “Thank you.” He looked back at Judy, “I have to get going, but tomorrow then?”

“Tomorrow,” she smiled, holding the book to her chest. She watched Rick climb down the bleachers and head to the fence that separated them from the field.

And then Clawhauser was grabbing her arm and dragging her back to the three.

“What was _that_?” Winter gasped her eyes wide with disbelief.

“What was what?” she asked them, confused.

“How do you know Rick?” Clawhauser asked, “And what did you say to make him look at you like that?”

“We…we talked about books,” she shrugged. “It was no big deal.”

“No big deal,” Fru Fru huffed, “That was _Richard Lazarus Wilde_! The dreamiest fox to ever live! Plus he’s a senior, smiling and eye flirting with a freshman!”

“There was no eye flirting,” Judy quickly insisted, feeling warm under her fur, “Besides I-” she stopped, realizing what Fru Fru had just said. “…Did you say… _Wilde_?”

“Oh you didn’t know?” Winter asked, “Rick is Nick’s older brother.” She indicated behind Judy and the rabbit turned around to see Rick talking to the bane of her existence.

Nick was leaning his elbows on the fence and talking to his brother with a slightly annoyed face. Rick was listening with a calm expression and nodding once or twice, at one point he reached a paw up to pat Nick on the head and the younger sibling scowled.

“But…but…” Judy was flabbergasted, “Rick’s so _nice_!”

“Yeah, the only thing they share is their looks,” Winter replied.

Judy shook her head vehemently, “No, no, absolutely not!” She had already admitted to herself Rick was cute, if she believed what Winter said that would also mean admitting _Nick_ was cute, and that was not going to happen _ever_!

The bell sounded, signaling the end of lunch.

“Anything else I need to know?” Judy asked as they got ready to head to class.

“Well, I’m sure you already know that teen pop sensation Gazelle goes here too,” Winter said but stopped talking when she saw the rabbit’s expression. “Oh…you didn’t know.” 


	4. Chapter 4

It was lunch the following day; Nick sat with Finnick and Honey at a table in the courtyard. Nick and Finnick playing an intense game of Go Fish while Honey loudly smacked on a piece of gum.

The small fox and honey badger listened as their friend ranted about the newfound friendship of his brother and Judy Hopps.

“I’m never going to understand him,” Nick growled, “A _bunny_? _Really_?”

“What’s wrong with bunnies?” Honey asked, blowing a bubble before popping it.

Nick glanced across the courtyard where Judy and Rick were sitting at a table, talking animatedly to each other. Didn’t Rick say she liked the same book or something?

Meanwhile Clawhauser and Fru Fru were sitting across from the two, looking like they were planning the fox and rabbit’s wedding. Nick growled low in his throat.

“Nothing’s wrong with bunnies as a whole,” Nick conceded. “But they _are_ known for being overfriendly.”

“Nicholas P. Wilde,” Finnick spoke, his deep voice low with disapproval. “You did not just stereotype rabbits. And any three of spades?”

“Go fish,” Nick said. “And I’m not stereotyping rabbits. I’m just being cautious about _that_ one.” His glared over at Judy again. “There’s something about her that doesn’t sit right with me.”

Finnick snorted in amusement, “Don’t get sensitive just because she didn’t want to jump into _your_ pants.”

Nick curled his lip at the smaller fox, “Crude, Fin. And don’t insult me that was the farthest thing from my mind when I met her.” He glanced over at Honey who was studying Finnick’s deck. She subtly scratched her chest with two claws.

“Two of hearts?” Nick asked.

“Go fish,” Finnick replied, Nick scowled at Honey’s cheeky expression before taking another card. “Anyway I don’t know why you’re so strung up over this, hon,” Honey spoke up. “Rick isn’t like you, he actually _wants_ to fall in love and be in a relationship.”

“No matter how many times I tell him it’s a bad idea,” Nick grumbled, staring at his deck.

“Your brother is a nicer guy, and more charming,” Finnick said with brutal honesty. “Unlike you he actually has a chance at dating.”

“I can date too, Finnick,” Nick growled, “I just don’t want to because I know what happens when two mammals date.”

“Bunnies are good at that,” Finnick pointed out, making Honey laugh raucously.

“Not _that_ ,” Nick snapped. “When couples date they eventually, one way or another, _break up_!” Nick flailed his arms out and ended up smacking a passing mammal in the shoulder. Unfortunately that passing mammal was Wade Jones, a tall and terrifying wolf. Said wolf let out a surprised yelp at the smack before whirling around to glare at Nick who, by the expression on his face, knew exactly how much trouble he was in.

“Wilde,” Wade growled, his strikingly green eyes glowing amidst his black fur. “Why did you do that? And think long and hard before you answer.”

“Heh…heh…” Nick lowered his arms and seemed to curl into himself, smiling in a panicked manner. “Hey, Wade. Long time no see?”

“That’s not an answer,” the wolf snarled, baring his fangs.

“No, no, it’s not,” Nick agreed, “And I’m sorry for that.”

Running footsteps had Wade turning his head to see Rick hurrying over, planting himself between the wolf and his brother. “What happened?” he asked, looking just as panicked as Nick.

“Your brother smacked me in the shoulder for no good reason,” Wade answered, his voice was no longer angry, instead simply irritated.

“Did he?” Rick glanced behind him at Nick, “I’m sure it was just an accident. You know Nick is harmless.”

“He should’ve told me himself,” Wade said, looking around at the eyes that were now on them.

“I’m sorry,” Rick apologized. “But there’s no reason to be angry.”

Wade looked from him to Nick then back again before letting out a soft sigh and walking off, pulling his red hood over his head as he walked back into the school.

Nick and Rick both sagged with relief before the former glared over at his friends, “Thanks for your help.”

“You were the one flailing your arms over the fruitlessness of dating,” Honey said. Finnick had placed his deck of cards down, knowing the game wasn’t going to be finished.

Rick glared at his brother, “At it again are you?”

Nick haughtily lifted his nose in the air, “Don’t give me that look _I’m_ not the one getting all cuddly with a rabbit. Especially considering said rabbit probably has a cuddle buddy for every day of the week.”

“ _Nick_ ,” Rick snapped angrily but then let out a tired sigh. “Whatever, just don’t get on another mammal’s bad side, I can’t keep coming to your rescue.” He walked back to Judy who had been watching the entire thing with concern.

Nick turned his attention back on his friends, “I wouldn’t need Rick’s help if my sidekicks were actually worth their salt.” He shuddered, looking at where Wade had vanished, “He looked like he was going to chew off my tail. You think he ever will?”

“I would if I had the jaw strength,” Finnick replied. He had pulled his iPaw out and was scrolling through his songs, having not picked one yet. 

Honey’s motherly heart won out on her and she looked at Nick’s still bothered face with compassion. “Why don’t you read your old insect identification book from your junior ranger years? That always cheers you up.”

“I’m not a child anymore, Honey,” Nick told her but reached into his bag and pulled out said book anyway. He opened it up to the page on the praying mantis and immediately his prickled feelings calmed. Not because of the praying mantis, but because of the violet book-pressed flower that rested between the pages, a flower he had held onto for years.

Nick smiled softly at the plant, one paw reaching up to run across his cheek, feeling the faint scars that his fur hid. He always did that whenever he thought of that little bunny he had met years ago. Now she had been a cool bunny, he wouldn’t mind seeing her again. But even she wouldn’t change his opinion on things like dating and relationships, he knew commitment would only end in disaster for him.


	5. Chapter 5

A ten year old reindeer dashed across the field, panting with wide eyes as he spotted his destination-his sanctuary-the school. If he just made it through the door he’d be safe. He forced his long legs to go faster, hearing footsteps pounding behind him. Just a little further. Almost there…almost there…

A sudden triumphant growl rang in his ears and then a weight pressed down on his shoulders, knocking him to the ground and making him roll through the dirt before skidding to a halt on his back. Paws pinned him down and he looked up at a Cheshire grin.

“Got ya,” Charlie crowed, her brown eyes sparkling and her tail waving to and fro.

“Okay, okay,” Sven groaned from under her. Around the playground their classmates laughed at the sight, having witnessed the game of tag (or Chase and Pin as Charlie preferred).

The cheetah looked up and spotted an arctic fox under the slide. She was wearing glasses too big for her face and braces too big for her teeth.

“Hey, Winter!” Charlie called for her, “Come play!”

The fox’s eyes widened in fright at the prospect of being chased and tackled, she shook her head and quickly scurried to the swings.

“Would you get off me already?” Sven demanded from the ground.

Charlie complied, her smug expression turning to surprise when Sven jumped up and tackled her in return. They both ended up rolling on the ground, playfully wrestling. But Charlie once again ended up pinning him down. “Pinned ya again!”

She helped her friend up and the two dusted off their clothes, both grinning at each other.

“Just wait until I’m older,” Sven declared as they walked to the swings to join Winter. “ _Then_ I’ll win Chase and Pin.”

Charlie rolled her eyes, “Sure you will.”

She jumped onto the swing next to Winter who had her eyes closed contently as she swung back and forth.

Instead of taking the swing next to her Sven stepped behind his friend and pushed her, helping her pick up speed. “I’m serious,” he told her. “I will!”

“And if you do I’ll do whatever you want,” Charlie replied.

“Anything?” he asked.

She nodded and Sven grinned cheekily. “Then, the next we play and _I_ win you have to marry me!”

Charlie laughed, recalling all the marriage jokes their classmates always made about them. “Sure, it’s a deal! You win the next game of Chase and Pin and I’ll be Mrs. Jingle.”

That had been the plan anyway. Charlie had gone off on vacation the next week, the week Sven’s parents informed him they would be moving. Sven had tried to get in contact with his friend but had been unable to get a hold of her. And then Sven was gone without a chance to say goodbye. When he returned years later he hadn’t been able to wait to see her, thinking things could be just like they used to and they could play that game of Chase and Pin. But during their reunion Charlie made it very clear she was no longer interested in being Mrs. Jingle.

Not that that stopped Sven.

.

Charlie was in gym class, playing an intense volleyball game with Winter, Gazelle, and the new bunny named Judy.

Because the famous pop singer was playing the stadium was packed with all the mammals that had a free period at the time.

Though Sven noticed a few mammals he knew for certain weren’t the biggest fans of Gazelle’s music such as Nick Wilde who sat chatting with his posse and Wade Jones whose face was hidden under his trademark red hood. Sven’s brow knit in confusion, he didn’t peg the wolf as the sports fan type , then again, said sports players were pretty fetching.

There was Gazelle of course, who always looked ready for a photo shoot even when she was running around, and she had a knack for making even the most average of cloths (such as white gym shorts and tops) look vintage.

There was also his good friend Winter, he had hardly recognized her when he had moved back. Gone were the giant glasses and thick braces, Winter was all slick and lean and probably had nearly as many admirers as Gazelle herself, though she never seemed to show any interest in them.

Then there was Judy Hopps, he didn’t know much about her except what Winter had told him. She was a cute bunny with violet eyes there were practically fire the way they shined. Add that to her welcoming grin and she was a bunny who encouraged you forward before trapping you with her sunny personality.

And last, but certainly not least, there was Charlie.

Sven let out a helpless sigh, an idiotic smile breaking across his lips as he watched her, brown eyes sparkling and a smile lighting up her face. She was absolutely flawless. What else could Sven say? She had been wonderful when they were kids but now…she was perfect. Except for that whole hating-his-guts-since-he-abandoned-her-for-years thing, but despite that he was determined to win her over.

A loud buzz signaled the game over. The four girls whirled around to the bleachers, eyes on the cougar, Bobby Catmull. Said feline held up a piece of paper: on one side were the letters C and W with the number 10 under them. On the other side of the sheet were the letter G and J with the number 12 under those two.

Gazelle and Judy let out whoops of triumph, jumping in elation while Gazelle’s fans applauded them loudly.

Charlie and Winter walked under the net to talk to the two, somehow Sven managed to hear above the crowd.

“Didn’t I tell you Jude would be good at volleyball?” Winter asked, beaming at the bunny with pride.

“You sure did,” Gazelle told the fox before turning her attention to the rabbit. “You were fantastic.”

Judy laughed awkwardly, glancing at the floor bashfully. “It-it was no big deal. Thanks for letting me play.”

“Anytime,” Charlie added. She glanced at the crowd with a droll look before her eyes landed on Sven. Her smile quickly fell.

Caught off guard by the sudden attention and not having time to think of any plan, the reindeer waved lamely.

Charlie turned her back abruptly, heading to the locker rooms. Gazelle and Judy watched her go with surprise but Winter shot Sven a sympathetic look that only made him feel worse.

But he wouldn’t give up. As the other girls headed to the locker rooms to clean up and change, and the crowd dispatched to head to their classes and whatnot, he sat himself down in the bleachers and waited patiently.

Though he wasn’t alone, Nick and his friends were still talking about a TV show he didn’t know, he decided they hadn’t left because they had nowhere else to be. And Wade Jones hadn’t moved an inch.

Sven fought back a shudder, the wolf was just downright unnerving, always growling and looking like he would eat anyone who stepped too close.

“Still crazy for the cheetah?”

Sven looked over his shoulder at Nick who had spoken. His eyes were a mix of amusement and pity. Finnick had at some point pulled out his iPaw and was violently banging his head to whatever song he was listening to.

Finnick was as big a music fanatic as Sven; the only difference was that the small fox could actually sing.

“Of course I am,” Sven said. “Have you not been around the past couple of years? She’s my soul mate.”

Honey cooed appreciatively while Nick rolled his eyes, not that it was surprised Sven. No one was totally sure where the fox’s hate to love had come from but they all knew it was there.

“She can’t stand the sight of you,” Nick pointed out.

“Not as much as I can’t stand the thought of life without her,” Sven moaned.

The fox made a rude gagging noise, Honey roughly pushed him, knocking him into Finnick who fell onto the seat, entangled with his friend. Honey laughed at Finnick’s colorfully crude commentary of the situation.

And then the ladies locker room opened and Winter, Judy, and Gazelle walked back into the gym, their fur damp from the showers and fresh in their school clothes. Sven’s shoulders sagged at the look Winter sent him as she walked over. “She used the other exit.”

Sven sighed heavily, “Right. Right.”

“Hasn’t she been hanging out with Bogo lately?” Nick asked, standing up and stretching while Finnick sent him an angry glare.

Sven sent him a terrified look while Winter and Judy scowled at the red fox.

“Don’t listen to Nick,” Winter said. “You know he’s allergic to happiness.”

“That’s right!” Judy stepped forward and patted his knee with a gentle paw. “I for one think it’s very sweet of you to try and win her over. Don’t give up.”

“Chapter five!” Nick grinned at the rabbit. “The hopeless romantic! Lil Carrots tries to play matchmaker while searching for that special someone to longingly embrace!”

“Keep it up, Wilde!” Judy snarled harshly, making Sven jump. “I’ll rip your tail off and shove it down your throat, I swear on my family’s carrot farm!”

The fox only laughed, completely unperturbed by the rabbit’s threat. Noticing Gazelle had been quiet the whole time, Sven glanced at her saw she was watching Wade with interest.

“Who’s that?” Judy asked, following the singer’s look.

“Wade Jones,” Gazelle answered, keeping her eyes on the wolf who still hadn’t moved a muscle.

Winter swallowed, “I heard he got into a fight with some mammals from a nearby school and nearly torn them to shreds with his bare _teeth_.”

“But you didn’t see it for yourself,” Gazelle pointed out to her friend.

Judy, curious, started to climb up the bleachers toward the wolf. Nick had been watching the mammals talk but his eyes bulged when he saw Judy heading toward Wade. Surprising everyone he reached out and grabbed Judy’s leg, stopping her and making her yelp in surprise.

“Are you crazy, Carrots?” he demanded in fierce whisper as Judy turned her head to glower at him. “Wade’s psychotic!”

“He’s not the one who just attacked my leg,” she replied just as testily before shaking her leg free from the fox’s grip. She made it to Wade who was still as stone, timidly tapping him on the shoulder. “Wade?”

There was no answer. She gave his shoulder a more forceful pat. “Wade?”

A loud snore suddenly punctuated the quiet of the room and Wade’s sleeping body leaned to the right before falling to the bleacher’s bench. He startled awake with a snarl, his hood falling off his face to reveal drowsy eyes blinking rapidly. He looked at Judy and immediately snarled, making the rabbit step back.

But then Wade looked around and noticed the crowd, he turned back to Judy with a frantic expression. “What day is it?!”

“Th-Thursday,” she answered.

He looked to the clock on the gym wall, checking the time. He scowled at all of them as he hurried off the bleachers. “Thought it be funny to let the wolf over sleep and get locked in the gym, hm?”

“We didn’t-” Judy began but the wolf was already out the door, his running footsteps fading the farther he got.

Judy glanced at Sven and the others who shrugged helplessly. They had no idea what that had been all about and none of them were going to go after Wade to find out. But then quite suddenly Winter let out a shocked noise, making Sven cringe. “I’m such an idiot! I heard Bogo’s name and totally forgot!”

She turned to the reindeer gleefully. “Tomorrow night Bogo is throwing a party! That’s the perfect place to talk to and woo Charlie!”

“Oh, yeah,” Nick spoke up once again. He clearly had no qualms with not wanting to be heard. “I can see that ending wonderfully.”


	6. Chapter 6

Dawn Bellwether wasn’t much for parties. She didn’t mind social outings where a group of friends shopped and ate lunch together, enjoying a nice day and each other’s company.

But the parties with the loud music, heavy drinking, and very bad decision making, the party she was currently being dragged to, _those_ she minded quite a bit.

But Leodore and Percy were going and if she didn’t keep an eye on them who would?

“Oh, don’t pout like that, Lamb,” Leodore lightly scolded as he led her and Percy inside the already crowded house. The St. Zoo’s Rangers had won tonight’s football game and everyone was still high off the victory, drinking and dancing to their heart’s content.

As soon as they crossed the house’s threshold Leodore immediately broke away to look for Bogo and drinks. Bellwether put a protective arm around Percy who looked ready to jump into the throng, but she didn’t want to be in a crowd of much larger mammals jumping up and down and getting too wasted to notice if they stepped on a sheep or rabbit. She pulled him away from the masses to look for more calm company, passing the kitchen where Leodore and Bogo were talking animatedly about the game.

“Where are we going?” Percy asked as they found the steps that led to the basement where she could hear conversations.

“Somewhere we won’t be trampled,” she told him, walking down the steps. “I don’t know about you but I’d prefer to die old and in my sleep, not by getting crushed by an elephant’s drunk dancing.”

He chuckled quietly as they made it to the basement floor that was made out like a den, the floor carpeted and a couple of couches placed here and there. On one couch sat Yax and Honey, the yak was munching on a plate of brownies Bellwether decided she would not go near. The honey badger was leaning against the couch arm, listening to someone, stepping closer Bellwether saw Nick Wilde and his little friend Finnick sitting on the foot of the couch, by the way Nick was swaying she could tell he was already drunk, Finnick was downing a cup of beer like a baby with its milk so she guessed he wouldn’t be of the sober minority much longer.

“Go and mingle,” Bellwether told Percy who nodded and hopped off to watch two porcupines play poker.

“All I’m saying is that movie is _highly_ illogical!” Nick slurred to Honey, leaning against Finnick’s shoulder, the little fox still chugging.

“Sweetie, you are too smashed to use words like illogical,” Honey informed him, smiling fondly at her two friends.

“Smashed? _Smashed_?” Nick looked affronted by the remark. “Sugar, Sugar, Honey, Honey. A gentleman like _moi_ doesn’t get smashed.” He grinned at her, “I get _sloshed_.”

The badger laughed raucously while Finnick finished his drink and stood up, pulling away from Nick who fell onto his back without his friend to hold him upright.

Surprisingly Finnick was still steady on his feet. “I’m gonna go get another drink.”

“Me too!” Nick jumped to his feet, wobbling slightly as he followed his friend up the stairs, “And I need to find my big brother before he gets too cuddly with that _bunny_!”

Bellwether rolled her eyes but decided to follow the two back up the stairs to check on Leodore. Said lion had gotten his own drink and watched in amusement as Finnick got a cup that was nearly as big as his torso before filling it with alcohol. The little fox let Nick have a sip before taking it himself and taking a much bigger gulp.

Leodore’s face brightened when he spotted Bellwether, “Hey, Smellwether! You came back!”

She scowled at him, “We’ve talked about that nickname.”

“Ha!” Nick suddenly laughed as he made his way to the living room, Finnick trailing after him. “ _Nick_ name.”

“Aw, come on,” Leodore said after the two foxes left, he leaned on the table, resting his chin in a paw. “That’s a cute name.”

Bellwether rolled her eyes, “And so was Lionfart but you always got oversensitive when I called you that.”

The lion pouted, proving her point. Though Bellwether hadn’t called him that in years, not since they were kids, she giggled at the memory. “Our class got a good laugh out of that. You were so upset too!”

“I can’t help I was a sensitive cub,” Leodore retorted sourly.

 _That_ he had been; it was hard to believe the tall, strapping, confident lion before her was the same timid cub she befriended years ago.

“I preferred you as sensitive,” Bellwether informed him. “You didn’t drag me into trouble half as much.”

“No, back then that was _your_ job,” Leodore’s pout turned into a smirk.

Bellwether glared up at him, “That is not true! I was a well-behaved young lamb who never caused any problems.”

Leodore chuckled, amused disbelief written all over his face, “Must I remind you about that one summer trip back in middle school? The bee incident?”

Bellwether swallowed and refused to meet his eye, “That was different. Jenny and Megan needed to be taught a lesson. If you think about it, it would’ve been wrong _not_ to teach the gossipy, whiney, no good little-”

“Ah, ah, ah,” Leodore interrupted, wagging a finger. “Language.”

The sheep took a calming breath, “Right, I’m calm now.”

“Forget calm, how about you relax for a little while?” He offered her his cup, “Soothe your parched throat my little evil genius.”

Bellwether smirked up at him, “Not from your cup my lord backwash.”

He frowned, “That was back in elementary school, Dawn. I don’t do that anymore.”

“Still, I’d rather not take my chances,” she replied, “I’ll have my own cup, thank you.”

With said drink in hoof Bellwether walked back down to the basement, Lionheart following after her.

They found Percy sitting on the carpet before the couch that Yax and Honey occupied. Only now there was a crowd.

With Leodore’s help she broke through the horde to stand before the rabbit who was sitting cross-legged, a dreamy look on his face. “Have you guys felt the carpet?” he asked the crowd. “This carpet feels so darn good.”

The audience chuckled; Bellwether looked to Lionheart, glaring when she saw the lion joining the laughs.

“So, Percy,” Honey spoke up, “What do you think about high school?”

“High school?” Percy echoed then snorted, “Stupid. Cafeteria’s called the nutrition center, mammals were their letter jackets when its ninety degrees out.” He glared at one of the football players in the mass who was still wearing said jacket. “It does not impress anyone!”

More chuckles, Bellwether rolled her eyes.

“And these clichés,” the rabbit went on, “I mean, they used to make sense, jocks and nerds and everything in between. I found a cliché of mammals who all liked this one stupid CD. A cliché for _one stupid CD with a tone-deaf singer_!”

“This bunny is crazy,” Honey snickered.

Percy scrutinized the badger, “Honey, I think you’re going to regret that hair cut when you look back at old photographs.”

Lionheart bent over laughing while Honey looked both indignant and amused. Percy’s eyes widened and he covered his mouth with his paws, “I am so sorry that sounded like a compliment in my head.”

Bellwether let out a disgusted sigh and glared at the brownie-less yak, “Yax, did you get him stoned?”

“Come on Dawn look how happy he is,” Yax said, not bothered in the least by the sheep’s scowl.

Bellwether walked over to stand in front of the rabbit, “Percy? How are you feeling?”

The rabbit laid back on the carpet, splaying his limbs out and looked up at the ceiling, “I really want a milkshake.”

The crowd burst into louder laughter as Bellwether once again rolled her eyes and helped the rabbit up, “Come on, Percy. I’ll get you your milkshake.” She gave Leodore a steely look as she headed to the stairs, “You’re coming with.”

“Aw, why?”

“Because if I don’t watch you _you’ll_ try some of Yax’s special brownies.”

“I was just so hungry,” Percy went on as Bellwether practically carried him up the steps, Lionheart following. “We didn’t go out and eat after the game.”

“I know, sweetie,” Bellwether told him, a motherly affection coming over her for the freshman. “We’ll eat when we leave, okay?”

Up at the kitchen Percy crawled up onto a table with Bellwether while Lionheart pulled out all the ingredients necessary to make a vanilla milkshake.

Leodore watched her with a smile, “Ah, you have such a great maternal instinct, Lamb. Making your adopted rabbit son a milkshake, I find that very fetching.” He bared his teeth in a playful grin, “I must have you.”

Bellwether smirked up at him as she placed a couple of spoonfuls of ice cream into a blender along with milk, “Your parents are some of the richest mammals in Zootopia and you _still_ couldn’t afford me.”

“You guys are great,” Percy all of a sudden told them, laying on his belly. “I’m glad you two are my friends.” He then looked at them with giant eyes, “We _are_ friends, right?”

“Of course we are, Percy,” Bellwether assured him, turning on the blender and watching the ice cream swirl around.

“You kinda left us no choice,” Leodore added, “The way you followed us around and insisted on doing everything for us… We would’ve looked like jerks if we hadn’t let you hang out with-”

Bellwether quickly elbowed the lion to make him stop talking.

Percy smiled up at them, “I really wanted you guys to like me. I wanted to go to parties like this, too. My old friends never wanted to do stuff like this.”

Bellwether frowned, this was the first time Percy had ever mentioned friends.

“Where are those friends now?” Leodore asked, looking like he was thinking the same thing as the sheep.

“I don’t know,” Percy said, staring up at the ceiling light with great fascination. “They stopped being friends with me. I’m really weird.”

Bellwether shared a look with Leodore before pouring the now finished milkshake into a cup and added a straw. “Well, you have new friends now,” Leodore told the rabbit.

“And a milkshake,” Bellwether added, handing the cup to the ecstatic looking rabbit.

“Yay,” Percy cheered adorably, taking a sip of the chocolate drink before smiling at the two, “Best day ever.”

.

Judy sat out on the front porch with Rick, listening to the pounding music from inside the house while mammals came in and out, some laughing like they had been gassed, others sobbing their eyes out.

Rick was leaning back on his paws, studying the night sky while Judy stared at the full cup of beer between her paws.

“Not much of a party bunny, huh?” the fox asked, glancing down at her.

Judy shrugged helplessly, “I just…I kind of promised my parents I’d keep my nose clean while I went to school here.”

“One sip won’t have you vandalizing some poor old lady’s house,” Rick pointed out, wearing a small smile.

“I know but one sip might lead to more than one and then who _knows_ what’ll happen.” She placed the cup on the porch.

Just then Nick walked out onto the porch, skipping around and singing off-key to the song playing in the living room, nearly colliding with other mammals that occupied the porch.

“You might end up like that treasure over there,” Rick replied, looking at his younger brother with fond exasperation.

Judy rolled her eyes, “How are you two related? You’re nothing alike.”

“Nick takes after our mom,” he explained. “They’re both wonderful and really nice…if you can get past their prickly craziness.”

Judy glanced at the younger fox who was leaning over the railing, appearing to yell at a flower bush.

“I can’t see that,” Judy said honestly. “But I guess that means you take after your dad.”

Rick’s smile vanished for a moment before it quickly returned and he shook his head, “No, I’m the oddball of the family. I don’t take after anyone.”

“Which makes you unique,” Judy told him, sliding closer. “That makes us even more alike.”

His eyes softened as he looked at her, “Oh?”

“When you have two hundred and seventy five brothers and sisters, you have to be unique to get some attention,” she told him.

“Two hundred and seventy five,” Rick echoed with a whistle. “What’s that like?”

“Crowded,” she said simply. “But it can be fun too, older siblings to look after you, younger siblings to look after.”

Rick glanced over at his brother, “I know what the latter is like.”

Judy chuckled, “Well, I volunteer to be the one who looks after you.”

“Little lady you’re younger than me,” Rick grinned, rubbing his tail across her head.

Judy giggled, her ears going hot before she grabbed it and held the fluffy appendage to her chest. “I love your tail.”

The tip tickled her under the chin and she laughed harder. “And it loves you,” Rick chortled.

“Dick,” a sweet voice sang and the two looked to see Nick had spotted them and stumbled over to their side. “Oh, Dick,” he continued lovingly.

“Don’t call me that,” Rick sighed as his brother sat himself between him and Judy (making Rick place his tail back onto his lap) though the younger fox didn’t seem to notice the rabbit.

“Hey, hey,” Nick said, holding up a finger. “It’s not my fault that when you were pushed out into this dark cold world that mother took a good look at you, and decided to call you Richard. Nor is it my fault that said name somehow equals the best _nick_ name ever!”

Judy scoffed and the sound had Nick jumping, staring at her with surprise. “Carrots! Oh, hey, hey, Carrots, I got a joke for you.”

Rick groaned but despite herself Judy was curious. “I’m listening.”

“How do you get Dick from Richard?”

“Nick, don’t,” his brother begged.

“How?” the words were out of Judy’s mouth before she could stop them.

Nick grinned devilishly, “You ask him nicely.” He threw his head back and laughed uproariously while his brother buried his head in his paws.

“That’s not funny,” Judy scowled.

The fox’s laughter stopped and he leaned against his brother’s shoulder, “Oh, Dick. I don’t like her.”

“Why not?” Rick asked him, “I think she’s pretty funny.” He smiled at her, “And just plain pretty.”

Judy looked away with a bashful smile.

“You only thinks she’s fun because you’re both boring!” Nick moaned. “And I don’t appreciate using my pain as a chance to get on her good side.” His own tail lifted and flopped against Judy’s face, making the rabbit go still. Nick’s fur was just as soft as Rick’s if not more so.

“But to answer your question I don’t like her because she didn’t buy a drink from me!”

“It’s illegal,” Judy snapped, pushing his tail off her face. “And even if it wasn’t I wouldn’t have bought anything because you acted like a jerk.”

“Ah yes, his cola cartel,” Rick rolled his eyes. “I’ve heard many tales of it, whispered in the hallways.”

Nick let out a loud groan, “If you’re not going to take my problems seriously then I’m not going to hang out with you right now.” He turned to Judy and nearly fell on top of her when he momentarily lost his balance, “I’m not going to hang out with you, period.”

“Ditto,” Judy growled as the fox stood up and headed back inside.

“Finnick!” he screeched, “Where you at? I need good music to dance to…and I need to make out with someone, HEY WINTER!” And then he was gone.

Rick’s shoulders sagged and he let out a tired sigh, “Sorry about that.”

“You tell me he’s wonderful and really nice but so far I don’t see it,” Judy told him.

“He hasn’t made the best high school memories,” Rick said, “Here’s hoping he’ll get over it soon enough.”

Judy wondered what memories he was talking about but decided it wasn’t any of her business to ask. Rick turned his blue eyes on her, “When he was a kit he was the sweetest little guy, he was even a junior ranger scout.”

That made Judy’s ears lift in interest and she glanced over her shoulder where Nick had disappeared, “Huh.”

“But I’ll talk to him tomorrow,” Rick promised her. “While he’s getting over his hangover too just to make him suffer, he shouldn’t be treating you like that just because I like you.”

“I’m sure it’s more than that,” Judy said then realized what he just said. She grinned, “You like me?”

He smiled shyly, “Not every day I meet a nice girl who knows my favorite book. But I’m sure you already have plenty of guys who like you.”

“Lucky for you, the only guy I temporarily like is you,” she grinned cheekily.

“Oh? The only one?”

“Well…” Judy trailed off, “Clawhauser’s a sweetheart, and Sven seems nice, and I haven’t talked to that Bobby Catmull but he looks so cool, all quiet and mysterious.” Rick laughed and it made Judy’s chest warm. “But for now, you’re number one.”

He beamed and once again swished his tail over her head, “I’m flattered, Binky.”

.

Sven had planned to super suave at Bogo’s party, show off his great dance moves, flirt with Charlie and hopefully at least get a kiss amongst the adrenaline of a party. But he ended having a drinking competition with Finnick instead.

“How!?” Sven gasped, watching the fennec fox’s steady paw as he took another swig of his beer, his brown eyes clear.

“You are the size of the cup you’re drinking from how are you still sober?” Sven’s words were slurred as he tried to keep his hooves steady. “You’re the devil!”

Finnick only smirked and Nick, who had come over to watch the drinking battle, laughed so hard he nearly fell over.

“Sweetie, darling, maybe you should call it quits,” Winter told Sven, while the arctic fox was buzzed she wasn’t as far gone as the reindeer and the red fox.

“You’re not my mother, Snowflake,” Sven said, taking another swig. “I am amazing and I will beat this little…what are you again I can’t remember.”

“I’m the guy whose about to make you die from alcohol poisoning.”

“Yes, that,” Sven continued, “I will beat that and then Charlie will love me.”

“What does any of this have to do with Charlie?” Winter demanded.

Nick gagged, “It’s been like…three? Two? Two! Two years, let it _go_!” He walked forward and threw his arms over Winter’s shoulders, nearly making the vixen fall.

“Winter, Winter,” he spoke, “Make out with me.”

“No,” she replied bluntly. “You are the living embodiment of the word ‘mistake’.”

“Embodiment?” Nick struggled to say the word correctly. “Don’t speak in a foreign language when I’m drunk.”

Winter pushed him off her and nabbed Sven’s drink.

“Hey,” the reindeer moaned, “I was winning.”

Finnick, still stable on his tiny feet, snorted in amusement.

“Sven this isn’t the way to win Charlie over,” Winter told him. “You need to talk to her. Really talk to her.” The reindeer frowned thoughtfully for a moment before standing up and walking back into the living room where the cheetah was dancing with Clawhauser.

“I didn’t mean _right now_!” Winter shrieked in horror, rushing after her friend.

“Charlotte Spotwood!” Sven spoke loudly, appearing by her side and making her and Clawhauser jump in surprise. Latter cheetah, sensing disaster, scurried off into the crowd. Winter had halted a few feet away and watched the unfolding scene in horror.

“You look…that one word that means pretty,” Sven told her, “Begins with an r.”

“Ravishing,” Winter called out.

“Yeah, ravishing! That’s it!”

“Sven…” Charlie spoke warily. “How much do you have to drink?”

He clutched his heart with both hooves, “You said my name. It’s so nice when you say my name.” He reached out and threw his arms across her shoulders, Charlie stumbling before managing to hold the heavier reindeer up.

“Sven,” she hissed, “Get off me!”

He didn’t hear her, too focused on how close their faces were. He could kiss her right now he knew, but he also knew she wouldn’t kiss him back.

“I miss you,” he breathed, his voice low with melancholy.

Charlie looked at him with an expression between exasperation and pity. “You can’t miss me, I’m right here.”

“No, you’re not,” he nuzzled into her neck, feeling her fur bristle. “Not really.”

They stayed like that for a few moments, Sven taking in his friend’s scent that made his chest hurt.

Suddenly someone pushed into Charlie and the two topped forward, Sven’s arms waving to catch balance as he hit the hall, along with a poorly placed fire alarm. The sprinklers atop the ceiling immediately sprayed the dancing crowd of the living room. Mammals let out surprised and annoyed yelps. Sven looked up at said sprinklers and found himself chuckling.

“Just my luck, huh,” he smiled down at Charlie.

The cheetah’s fur was already soaking wet as she glared up at him, “Just _our_ luck.”

 _Our luck_ , he thought to himself. _I like that_.

.

“The house is crying!” Percy let out a shriek, clutching his milkshake to his heart.

Leodore had carried him and Bellwether into the room, having planned to cut the party early for a diner when the sprinklers had suddenly turned on.

The lion laughed jovially, “It’s just the sprinklers, Percy.”

“Ugh,” Bellwether moaned, touching the wool on top of her head. “My wool is going to be full of tangles now!”

.

Rick had been pointing out the constellations to Judy when Clawhauser and Fru Fru rushed out to tell them the sprinklers were on. They followed the two inside in time to see Nick and Finnick taking over the DJ radio and turning to a new song.

“HA HA!” Nick cheered loudly and the two foxes rushed into the middle of the living room floor to dance. The sight causing the crowd of drenched mammals to laugh and join in, the sprinklers adding to the experience.

“Come on, Fru, dance with me,” Clawhauser told the arctic shrew who sat on his shoulder.

“Oh no,” the shrew said immediately, “It took me hours to get my hair just right-” Her words ended in a high-pitched shriek as Clawhauser raced into the spray, dancing along to the music.

Rick turned to Judy with a grin and offered his paw, “Ready to dance at your very first party as a St. Zoo freshman?”

“Absolutely,” she replied, taking his paw and being led into the throng, the water dowsing her fur but the crowd’s body heat keeping her warm.

“Let’s hope this one doesn’t end with a broken nose,” the fox joked.

Judy laughed, “Don’t bet on it.”


	7. Chapter 7

Being a teen pop sensation and going to high school meant knowing every little piece of gossip that haunted the halls. Gazelle learned that right away, as every day she was surrounded by a group of admirers who always wanted to talk about rumors and superstitions about their classmates.

Which meant she knew every single piece of gossip about Wade Jones.

If you believed what the school said, he was the closest thing to an example of the Stone Age that St. Zoo had.

He was violent and temperamental, growing up in a gang that tended to murder when they didn’t get their way. He had appeared on his first day of freshman year with matted fur and stains on his clothes that looked like blood. Word got around that he had gotten into a fight with some uppity teenagers and had ripped into them-literally.

Wade Jones was a dangerous mammal who’d bite you as soon as you at you.

The only problem was that Gazelle didn’t believe these rumors. Not for one minute. She knew the gossip mill was a viscous thing that would sooner spread entertaining lies rather than boring truth. And when you looked at Wade, really looked at him, the stories didn’t match up.

True, he snarled and snapped when he got his shoulder smacked or tail accidentally stepped on but who wouldn’t? But she had noticed when mammals walked too close he would quickly step away from them, when someone next to him raised their paw in class he would flinch. It was like Wade Jones was scared to be touched. Add that with the lonely look in his green eyes and Gazelle _had_ to talk to him. But she knew she would have to get him alone, he always looked so edgy in crowds. And she couldn’t do that right now, right now she was offering comfort to post-party Sven.

“What did I do?” the reindeer moaned, his head buried in his arms as he sat at a cafeteria table with Gazelle, Winter, and Gazelle’s friend: a tiger named Raja. He was a dancer to her concerts and the only one close to her age and so they had quickly befriended each other. The rest of her usual admiring pack doing their own thing today which she was grateful for, they were sweet mammals, but the reason she attended St. Zoo was to try and forget that she was a celebrity.

“Nothing honey,” Winter spoke up, patting her friends’ shoulder. “You were just a little loud and clumsy.”

“Why can’t I believe you?” Sven murmured, not lifting his head. Winter sent Gazelle a helpless look. The singer reached forward across the table to nudge Sven, making the reindeer look up at her.

“Maybe you should take a break?” she suggested softly.

The reindeer’s brow furrowed, “Take a break?”

“Give Charlotte some space,” she explained. “She’s just as stubborn as you but give her some time to think and then…” She trailed off for a moment, “Maybe?”

“You could always try getting her jealous?” Raja suggested, taking a sip from the soda he bought off Nick Wilde.

“Raja, no,” Gazelle gasped in horror.

“Seriously, _no_ ,” Winter stared at Sven sternly. “That will not go well for any of the parties involved.”

“Fine,” Sven huffed, reburying his arms on the table. “I’ll leave her be and die wife-less, child-less, and alone.”

Gazelle frowned in sympathy before looking around the room, searching for the object of Sven’s affection/misery.

To her surprise, Charlie was looking over at their table, her brown eyes holding an unreadable expression. When she caught Gazelle’s eyes she quickly looked away, it could’ve been a trick of the light but the singer could’ve sworn she saw the cheetah’s ears blush red.

But then her attention was captured by Dawn Bellwether, the sheep carrying a large stack of papers that were so high she could barely see what was in front of her. Gazelle looked around and spotted Leodore and Percy watching the sheep, by their expression she came to the conclusion that the stubborn sheep had refused help taking the papers to their designated area.

Gazelle moved to stand up, wanting to go over and make the sheep receive help anyway, but when she saw who Bellwether was walking by she halted. The sheep was walking incredibly close to Wade who sat by himself at a table, his eyes on his half-eaten tray. Lionheart noticed how close Bellwether was to the wolf as well and unlike Gazelle he saw a threat to it. He stood up abruptly, surprising the rabbit beside him, and hurried after his friend.

“Bellwether!” he yelled out suddenly, catching the attention of the rest of the cafeteria and startling the sheep. Bellwether jumped upon hearing her name being yelled and stumbled under the weight of paperwork she held, she ended up tripping and the papers scattered from her arms, drifting around her and Wade. The wolf flinched when Bellwether landed close to his tail and fixed her with a steely glare. He reached his paw out, to Gazelle it looked like he was moving to help her up. But then Lionheart arrived at his friend’s side and grabbed Wade’s shoulder, pushing him back.

While it wasn’t a hard push Wade still let out a feral growl and smacked the lion’s paw away, nearly knocking down the table as he stumbled to his feet.

“Don’t touch me!” he snarled loudly. If any mammal in the room hadn’t been watching the scene they all certainly were now.

Wade and Leodore glared at each other, their fur bristling as Bellwether stood back up and grabbed her friend’s paw. “Leo, stop. Let’s go.”

Wade’s eyes flickered to the sheep before looking around the cafeteria, seeing all the different eyes on him. His body still wound tight the wolf stalked out of the cafeteria, leaving his unfinished tray and backpack behind.

Gazelle waited until Leodore and Dawn had picked up all the papers and walked away (the lion still looking overly concerned for his friend) before quickly excusing herself and hurrying over to pick up the abandoned backpack. A few mammals gave her weird looks but no one questioned her as she hurried out into the hall.

She had expected she would have to hunt down Wade but found the wolf only a few feet away from the cafeteria’s doors. He was leaning his head against the wall, his paws splayed out against the cold brick. His eyes were squeezed shut and he looked incredibly frustrated, Gazelle felt a rise of sympathy.

“Wade,” she spoke quietly, not wanting to startle him.

The wolf’s eyes shot open and zeroed in on her, he looked surprised to see her before his gaze narrowed.

“What?” his voice was low and raspy and Gazelle couldn’t remember the last time she had heard him talk.

She held up the backpack, offering a friendly smile. “You left this.”

“Ah, yeah,” he smirked, his voice bitterly sarcastic. “When I tried to eat that sheep and nearly went for the president’s throat.”

Gazelle shook her head, “No, you weren’t.”

The wolf’s brow knit as he pushed himself off the walk and walked over her in an almost cautious matter. He eyed the pack suspiciously. “What did you do to it?”

She frowned in confusion, “Do to it?”

“Am I going to fight a giant spider in there?” he asked. “Or maybe stolen money?”

“Of course not,” Gazelle insisted, “I wouldn’t do that.”

He snorted in disbelief but took the backpack anyway, slinging it over his shoulder. “Whatever.”

He turned and walked down the hall, Gazelle keeping pace with him, which seemed to baffle the wolf further.

“My name’s Gazelle,” she introduced, trying to appear as warm as possible.

“Are you serious?” he asked in a mockingly dull voice. “You have the same name as that teen pop singer I heard so much about.”

She laughed softly, making Wade narrow his eyes.

“And you’re Wade Jones,” she continued.

“Know my name, huh?” he asked, “That must mean you know all about me.”

Gazelle frowned, “Everything I hear are packs of lies.”

The wolf stopped in his tracks and turned to fully face her, “What are you doing?”

Her brow furrowed, “What?”

“What are you playing at?” he demanded harshly. He looked around, “Is there a camera out here?”

“Why would you ask that?” she asked, noticing the deep mistrust in his green eyes.

Wade glared at her, “Because a prey like you doesn’t just walk right up to Wade Jones the Savage Killer and start a conversation by saying she doesn’t believe a word of what she hears.”

“I don’t,” she insisted. “Why? Are they true?”

“Oh, no,” Wade pulled his lips back in a feral grin. He stepped forward, standing closer to her than he had to any other mammal. Gazelle noticed he was abnormally taller than an regular wolf, almost matching Lionheart and Raja in size. “They aren’t true in the slightest,” the wolf breathed, his warm fur drifting over her neck. “The rumors are tame compared to the truth.”

Gazelle rolled her eyes, “I know you’re trying to scare me and I hate to disappoint you but I don’t scare easily.” She stepped closer as well and just as she expected Wade took several steps back, almost appearing to shrink in size. “Do _you_ scare that easily?” she walked toward him as she talked and the wolf kept stepping back until he was pressed back against the wall, his eyes going wide.

“Don’t touch me,” he told her, his tone sounding frantic.

“I won’t,” she promised. “I just want to talk. I’d like to get to know you, Wade Jones.”

He bared his fangs, “And I think you’re a filthy liar!”

She was startled by the yell, “You seriously think this is all a big trick?”

“Oh, I know it is,” Wade side-stepped her, keeping his back against the wall as he walked away. “You’re trying to play me, or have me admit some embarrassing secret. You might even be trying to get me to attack you so you can get me muzzled. Guess what, Pop Star, that isn’t going to happen.” He stopped at the corner of the hall and gave her a hesitant look, “But…on the one percent chance this isn’t a trick, don’t waste your time. I don’t _want_ friends, especially not you.”

And then he turned the corner and was gone. Gazelle knew she should’ve been offended by his words but they actually only stirred the flames of her curiosity, she _needed_ to know everything about this wolf. And she had a knack for getting what she wanted.

Gazelle smirked devilishly.


	8. Chapter 8

It was third period when Judy was asked by her history teacher, Mr. Woof, to deliver a paper to the counselor Mrs. Huger, who thanked her with a big smile. Judy walked out of the hippo’s office and hopped down the hall as she headed back to third period. She couldn’t wait for the bell to ring signaling for lunch, she wanted to talk to Clawhauser and Fru Fru about their plans for today. Their homeroom/science teacher Mr. Horner had assigned the three together for a group project and they would be going to Judy’s house (for the first time ever) to work on it.

A door up ahead suddenly opened and Judy’s ears pricked with curiosity, her eyes narrowed when she saw Nick walk out and quickly hid behind some lockers before the fox looked her way. He was examining the halls as if to see if anyone was around, Judy pressed herself against the wall, feeling a sense of déjà vu from when they first met. “The coast is clear,” he answered to whoever was behind him. Out the door came a…baby elephant? Judy peered closer and realized it was _Finnick_ dressed up as an elephant, an incredibly bitter look on his face.

“Ah, come on,” Nick told his friend, resting his paws on his knees. “You look great. Now, show me what we’ve been practicing.”

With a heavy sigh Finnick pulled the hood of the costume up over his head, he fully opened his eyes and just like that he looked like a three year old. Judy’s jaw went slack. Finnick made a toot-toot noise and Nick grinned, “Soup is on, baby. Now let’s hurry up, gotta be back before lunch.”

The two raced down the hall, and Judy found herself following them. Not that she wanted to exactly or because she though it was a good idea, but Finnick was in a _elephant_ costume! How was she supposed to just walk away from that?

Nick and Finnick slipped out of the school, Judy forcing herself to as well despite the immediately guilty feeling she got from it, but she told herself she wouldn’t stay out too long. After all Nick said he had planned on coming back before lunch and Mr. Woof usually slept the class away anyhow.

She followed the two foxes out to the school parking lot where they climbed into Finnick’s unique van. Judy had to run to keep up with them but luckily it was hard to lose Finnick’s van and they weren’t going that far anyway.

They parked a few miles away from the school next to an ice cream shop called Jerry Jumbeaux Jr. The two got out of the van and surprisingly Nick grabbed Finnick’s paw like it was a common everyday thing, she waited for the older fox to pull away but he never did. Her brow knit in confusion she hid behind a car and watched the two walk into the shop. Her curiosity only rising Judy hurried across the street and peered through the window.

Nick was in line, Finnick still holding his paw and making a very convincing toddler, while the red fox talking to an elderly elephant in front of them. By the sympathetic look on her face Judy suspected Nick was telling some sob story but for what reason she wasn’t sure.

She learned that reason a few minutes later when the lady elephant reached the front of the line and ordered a red jumbo pop and handed it to Nick, hefting the large pop over his shoulder he thanked the elephant before he and Finnick walked outside.

Judy quickly hid behind a potted plant before the two could spot her. They climbed back into the van but didn’t drive much further from the shop and Judy was able to keep up easily. She stayed hidden as they parked by an old building and, with the jumbo pop in paw Nick climbed up onto the roof while Finnick pulled out a number of empty jars and placed one under the storm pipe. A few minutes later the sun’s rays had completed melted the jumbo pop, the red juice flowing down the storm pipe and into the jars. With that done the two placed the jars inside the van and started the vehicle, as it passed by Judy jumped and managed to land on top of the tailpipe, balancing precariously as she pressed her entire body against the van door. Reading signs that they passed Judy saw they were heading to Tundra Town.

Not wanting to be in the cold Judy carefully pulled the van door open a crack, inside the vehicle she could hear loud rap music, the words in a language she didn’t know. She could see Finnick was the one driving, still adorned in his costume while Nick seemed to be asleep in the passenger seat, neither were glancing at the rear view mirror. Being careful to maintain her balance and keep quiet Judy slipped into the back of the van with the jars full of jumbo pop juice, an empty cooler, and music equipment and quickly closed the van door behind her. Falling to the floor she crawled across the space, spotting a blanket that covered a set of speakers and guitar case Judy slide under it and stayed perfectly still, noticing how the blanket smelled like it hadn’t been washed in years.

“You know, Fin,” Nick spoke up a few minutes later, proving he had either woken up from his nap or had never been asleep. “I don’t know why you hate wearing that elephant costume.”

She could practically feel the heat from the smaller fox’s glare, “If you love it so much _you_ wear it next time.”

“Now, now, don’t get snappy,” Nick replied easily. “It wouldn’t work in reverse; I don’t have the charm of a child like you. Same goes you don’t have the mature charm of a big brother that I possess.”

“Speaking of brother why doesn’t Rick ever help you with this?” Finnick asked, “It was _his_ plan.”

Judy’s eyes widened.

“Oh, you know Dick straightened out when he hit high school,” Nick replied in an offhand way. “Which is a shame; he had so many great con ideas. It inspired me as a little kid, you know?” Judy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Rick used to be just like his younger brother? From the sound of it, it was almost like he was the reason Nick turned out the way he was.

“Oh that reminds me,” Finnick continued. “How goes his wooing of that rabbit? Hopps right?”

Nick let out a disgusted snort, “Will I ever escape that rabbit? My God, everyone has to talk about her don’t they?” His voice became high-pitched and mocking, “Oh, Judy! You’re so amazing! So smart and sweet, you love the same books as me too it _must_ be fate! Oh, you hate Nick too? Why don’t we get married already?”

Judy scowled to herself while Finnick spoke, “Rick doesn’t hate you.”

“He doesn’t listen to me either,” Nick snapped. “But to answer your question he _is_ still trying to woo that rabbit. Again, despite my warnings.”

“Nick…” Finnick began in a tone that said they had had this conversation before.

“I get that Rick thinks he needs to fall in love and whatever…but why with a _rabbit_?” Judy’s paws clenched, as he kept talking.

“She’s not going to return his feelings; she probably already has a new conquest waiting for her after class.”

It took all Judy’s willpower not to jump up and put the fox in his place. Nick hadn’t taken the time to know her; he had no right to make such claims. And she would never hurt Rick; she may not be able to stand his younger brother but she definitely cared about him.

The van finally stopped and Judy kept absolutely still as she listened to the two foxes carry the jars out, they closed the van door behind them and Judy slipped out from under the blanket. The jars and cooler were gone, she dared a glance through the passenger window, sure enough they were in Tundra Town, the cold air frosting over the glass. She peered through the window to spot Nick and Finnick; they were freezing the jumbo pop juice in Finnick’s foot prints. They were making pawpsicles. When said pawpsicles were frozen Nick placed them in the cooler.

Judy relaxed against the passenger seat as she finally realized Nick’s plan, he was going to sell those pawpsicles at lunch. Despite herself she let out a short chuckle. “If he wasn’t such a jerk I’d applaud him for being so clever…” Or rather, Rick was the clever one; she really needed to ask him about this.

A few minutes later she heard the back of the van open and she looked over the passenger seat to see Nick holding the cooler in his arms. When his eyes met Judy’s he let out a startled scream and fell onto his tail.

“What happened?” Finnick demanded, rushing to his friend’s side.

Nick pointed at Judy, his face still terrified and Finnick’s own expression turned shocked when he spotted the rabbit.

“Hi,” she waved weakly.

“HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET IN THERE!?” they both demanded in unison.

“I crawled into the back after you filled up those jars,” she told them.

They exchanged looks before going back to staring at her. “You are _crazy_ ,” Nick told her, his jaw still slack.

“I wanted to see what you guys were doing,” she defended herself.

“So you just decided to stalk us and hide out in the van like a psycho?” Nick’s voice was both angry and slightly terrified as he crawled back onto his feet.

“I-I wasn’t stalking you,” Judy insisted.

“Do you even know what stalking means?” he snarled the question.

But before Judy could answer Finnick spoke up, “Nick, as much as I want to continue this conversation. And I sincerely do. It’s almost lunch break.”

Nick nodded quickly, throwing the cooler and then Finnick into the van before he crawled inside, slamming the back doors shut. He glared at Judy as he made his way to the passenger seat, “Count your blessings we’re not dumping you out into the snow, Carrots.”

Finnick floored it and Judy nearly stumbled from the sudden velocity as Finnick drove back to St. Zoo and somehow managed to yank the elephant costume off him at the same time, showing his usual punk shirt and ripped jeans below. All the while Judy was starting to realize how creepy she had just become. Hiding in the back of a near stranger’s van was hardly a normal thing to do.

“I-uh,” she began awkwardly as the two foxes kept their eyes on the road. “I was just really curious what you guys were skipping class for.”

“That doesn’t make this magically okay, Hopps,” Finnick told her in a disapproving/annoyed tone.

“Of course it doesn’t,” Nick snapped, “This entire thing is just creepy!”

“S-sorry?” Judy tried to apologize.

“Again, doesn’t make everything magically okay,” Finnick repeated, though his tone wasn’t nearly as furious as Nick’s.

“Why do you guys need to sell pawpsicles anyway?” she asked, looking at the cooler. “The soda business not bringing in the cash like you hoped?”

“Wow, is that none of your business,” Nick growled nastily. His tone was enough to make Judy sit down and keep her mouth shut. As much as she didn’t want to admit it she knew she was the one in the wrong here.

They arrived at the school just as lunch started. Finnick parked close to the courtyard, Judy spotted her friends and Rick sitting at a table, talking but glancing around as if to look for her. Judy turned to climb out of the back of the van but then Nick grabbed her by her waist and forcefully dragged her out the passenger side.

“What are you doing?” she demanded angrily, struggling in the fox’s surprisingly strong grip.

“ _Rick_!” Nick called out furiously, catching the attention of the crowd at the courtyard much to Judy’s mortification. She could only imagine what everyone thought of the sight. Rick’s eyes widened in surprise before he hurried over to them, Clawhauser and Fru Fru following after, her friends looking just as surprised and confused as the senior.

“What’s going on?” he demanded when he made it to Nick’s side.

“Your bunny’s stalking me that’s what’s going on,” Nick snapped and all but shoved her to Rick who quickly caught her shoulders before she fell.

“I wasn’t stalking you!” Judy repeated, glaring at him.

“Someone get the country bumpkin a dictionary because she obviously doesn’t know what that word means!” Nick snarled, running his paws over his ears in exasperation.

Rick spoke calmly, “Start from the beginning Nick.”

Finnick suddenly appeared at his friend’s side dragging the cooler behind him, “Judy hid in my van while we fixed up some pawpsicles.” Without further ado he continued on to the courtyard.

Rick looked at the rabbit in surprise but looked back at Nick, “She’s my friend. I’m sure that as my friend she was making sure my baby brother wasn’t doing anything dangerous while I wasn’t around.”

“Oh come off it she’s going to end up wearing my fur as a coat,” Nick replied dryly.

“I would not,” Judy interjected sharply.

Nick looked at her then smirked bitterly, “Maybe not, maybe you’ve grown bored of my brother and now want to put your mark on me.”

Judy gaped while Rick sighed tiredly. “Nick, stop,” he tried.

“Oh, don’t worry bro. I’m not going to be another notch in Whisker’s belt,” Nick replied.

“Stop that!” Judy snapped, taking a step forward to glare up at the fox. “I heard you talking like this on the van too! I don’t know where you got that all rabbits only have one thing on their mind but it’s not true!”

Nick scowled at her, “You know, this would be the part where’d I go chapter six yada, yada. But you know what? I was wrong about you, Fluff. You aren’t an easy and boring read; you’re a freaky and unpredictable horror story! And if your goal was to have me sleep with one eye open for the rest of my life, you succeeded. Good day.”

With one more glower at his brother Nick walked past the four to Finnick who already had a line for the pawpsicles.

“That was intense,” Fru Fru breathed, she and Clawhauser having been quiet through the entire exchange.

“And very, very awkward,” the cheetah added.

.

After school Fru Fru and Clawhauser followed Judy home where they were greeted by her litter of cousins who immediately crawled around her friends, cooing over how pretty Fru Fru was and burying their faces in Clawhauser’s thick fur. Finally Weiss pried her children away and promised Judy and her friends some carrot cupcakes in a few minutes.

The three made it up to Judy’s attic, Clawhauser finding it slightly cramped but didn’t complain as he made himself comfortable in a corner while Fru Fru sat on the bed with Judy. They looked around the room while Judy brought out her supplies for the project. But she could feel their eyes on her and she knew they wanted to talk about what happened with her and Nick. They had not been able to get the details during school because Rick had made a point to stay by her side for as long as possible and they hadn’t wanted to talk about it out of respect for his feelings.

Judy let out a heavy sigh and looked at them, “I guess…I was technically subconsciously stalking him.”

Fru Fru let out a squeal of laughter and Judy’s ears turned hot. Clawhauser watched her with an amused smile, “Why did you do that now?”

“Finnick was dressed up in an elephant costume,” she pointed out, “I couldn’t just ignore that.”

“Oh come off it, Judes,” Fru Fru grinned. “You went because Nick was involved.”

Judy stared at the shrew, “What are you insinuating, Fru?”

“You may not like Nick,” Clawhauser spoke up, “But you _are_ interested in him.”

“I am not,” Judy denied passionately. “He’s a jerk. Rick was right, since Nick is his baby brother I feel a sort of responsibility to him. Who knows when he’ll stop peddling soda and pawpsicle and start peddling drugs?”

“I really don’t think that’s going to happen,” Clawhauser replied. “He may not be a star student like you or his brother, but he’s still a pretty good student.”

“That doesn’t mean he’ll be cured of his rudeness anytime soon,” Judy mumbled, stubbornly crossing her arms.

“To be fair you did hide out in his friend’s van,” Fru Fru pointed out.

Judy looked at the two, “Whose side are you two on?”

“Oh, don’t be like that Judy,” Clawhauser smiled at her, “We’re only teasing.”

But Fru Fru’s eyes had traveled to Judy’s dresser drawer, where a couple of her favorite books and writing utensils sat. “What’s that?” She pointed to a red piece of fabric hanging from the top drawer.

Judy smiled softly, her eyes shining fondly as she opened the drawer and picked up the cloth, showing it to be a handkerchief. “It’s a keepsake.”

“Where’d you get it?’ Clawhauser asked, stepping over to get a better look.

Judy’s smile brightened, “From my childhood hero. When I was little I got rescued by the sweetest little junior ranger scout. He fought back this awful bully and used this to bind my leg after I hurt it. But I never got his name or saw him again.”

“Aww,” Fru Fru cooed, her eyes sparkling and her paws pressed against her cheeks. “That’s so adorable.”

Judy smiled, feeling a little bashful about the story and carefully folded the handkerchief before placing it back in the drawer. “Alright, that project isn’t going to do itself. Let’s aim for an A plus.”


	9. Chapter 9

Lionheart and Bellwether sat in the bleachers, watching the field as soccer try-outs started.

After Percy admitted to them he had lost his friends they had put it to themselves to make him as popular as possible and they figured being good at a sport would help. Upon asking the rabbit if there were any sports he fancied he told them he used to play soccer as a little kid and the next thing he knew they had dragged him out to Wednesday’s try-outs.

Percy was a brown blur, racing around the field, running around and under much larger mammals as he kicked the ball across the grass, making a goal.

Bellwether cheered loudly, Lionheart chuckling at her enthusiasm. Just then Percy nearly got stepped on by a zebra, managing to jump away just in time, Lionheart’s shoulders tensed upon witnessing it.

“You sure he’s not too small?” he asked his friend in a worried tone, looking like an overprotective parent.

Bellwether rolled her eyes, “He’s _fine_. Just because he’s a rabbit doesn’t mean he’s helpless.”

“And just because he’s not helpless doesn’t mean he won’t get stepped on,” Lionheart shot back.

“Stepped on? Look at him; he’s the fastest mammal on the field!” The sheep threw her arms out indicating to the field and Percy.

Lionheart shook his head but his eyes were fond as he gave the sheep a half-smile, “You’re going to be one of those ‘hip’ parents aren’t you? Trying to get your lambs to talk gossip with you and let you go clubbing with them. You’ll also let them do dangerous stunts like bungee-jumping and sky-diving.”

“If my future two lambs want to bungee-jump or sky-dive then they can bungee-jump and sky-dive,” she told him with a proud lift of her head. “Nothing will be impossible.”

But all Lionheart had to say to that was a question: “Two lambs?”

Bellwether nodded, “A boy and a girl. I haven’t decided the names yet.”

“Have you already met the lucky ram?” Lionheart asked, and he found his chest constricting painfully for some odd reason.

But Bellwether shook her head, “Not yet. I’ll probably search for Mr. Right after college. Education first, gotta attract the potential rams with my intelligence and success.” She ran her hoof across her ear in a flirtingly confident way that made Lionheart chuckle.

“You could meet him before that,” the lion pointed out.

Dawn only shrugged, “Maybe. Want to help me pick out some names for the lambs?”

“Loved to,” Leodore replied, despite the nagging sense in his head that told him he did not like the thought of Bellwether running off with some ram and having kids.

“I was thinking of Hansel for the boy and Daisy for the girl,” Bellwether admitted, settling close enough next to him for her side to brush his hip.

Lionheart looked up, his lip twisted in thought, “Maybe? I was thinking more on the line of Sam or Clover. Those are more sheep-fitting names, don’t you think?”

Sven, who had been walking past him on his way to his usual spot on the bleachers, stopped in his tracks, his ears perking up at the words he had just heard. He grinned slyly up at the lion and sheep, “Are the married couple picking out names for the little ones?”

“ _We’re not a couple_!” they both snapped in unison, their voices cracking ever so slightly from being flustered.

But Sven apparently wasn’t listening, “That’s lucky, I’ll never be that lucky…I’m going to die alone…” His voice trailed off miserably as he continued on his way, slumping down next to Rick who seemed surprised by the reindeer’s company but politely stayed quiet.

Said fox was watching the try-outs as the cheerleaders did their own practices on the other side of the large field. His ears pricked when he heard a familiar voice coming up onto the bleachers and he turned his head with a smile. Judy was climbing up the steps, Charlie right behind her and they seemed to be talking animatedly about something.

When the rabbit spotted him she broke into a beam and skipped up the rest of the steps to sit beside him, “I made it on the volleyball team!”

He grinned, “Congratulations!”

Meanwhile Charlie hadn’t followed the rabbit, having spotting Sven, though to her surprise the reindeer kept his eyes firmly on the field, for the first time in a long time not acknowledging her presence. Something flashed in the cheetah’s eye that was a mix of relief and sadness before she headed down the bleachers, and to the fence that separated her from the field.

Charlie waved to Gazelle who smiled at her friend’s approach before hurrying over to the fence to say hi.

“How were try-outs?” the singer asked after approaching.

“Good,” Charlie replied, “We’ve got some talented new legs.” She nodded to Judy who was still conversing with Rick. “The freshman rabbit included.”

Gazelle nodded, glancing at Judy before her eyes noticed Sven and how the reindeer’s eyes were anywhere else but the two females. She sighed in a wistful manner, “I guess he took my advice.”

Charlie’s eyes narrowed suspiciously at those words, “What advice?”

“He was so mortified about getting drunk at Bogo’s party and failing to talk with you,” Gazelle shrugged helplessly. “I told him to give you space.”

“Ah, so that’s what it is,” Charlie glanced at the reindeer but only for a second.

Gazelle gave her friend an uncharacteristically sharp look, “I know you were upset about Sven moving away but he really doesn’t deserve your cold shoulder like this, Charlotte.”

The cheetah swallowed, not meeting her friend’s eye. “Things are…complicated right now, Gazelle.”

The singer looked ready to pry for more questions when her eyes trailed past Charlie’s shoulder and she beamed at a welcoming sight.

“Wade!” she called out the wolf’s name as he started to make his way up the bleachers. The wolf stopped upon hearing his name and glanced at the gazelle, his eyes widening in what looked like fear when he spotted her.

“Wade, hi!” she called even louder, waving excitedly at him while what seemed to be all of the bleachers and the entire field stared at them.

Looking embarrassed beyond belief the wolf threw his hood up and quickly ran off back down to the school, Gazelle frowned as she dropped her hoof.

Charlie stared at her friend in disbelief, “What exactly was that?”

“Oh, that’s right, I didn’t tell you. I’m going to become Wade’s friend.”

“Wade… _Jones_ …the wolf?” Charlie clarified and her friend nodded, “No offense, but he hardly seems willing and he’s kind of terrifying.”

“Only because we barely know anything about him,” Gazelle argued with a devious smile. “As for him not being willing? Don’t you worry…I’ll make him.”

Meanwhile Judy had ended up asking Rick about Nick’s words from the other day of how the senior used to be as mischievous as his brother.

Upon hearing her question Rick’s ears drooped in embarrassment and he didn’t meet her eye, “Yeah…Up until high school Nick and I were kind of reverse. He was the respectable well-behaved kit; I was the wild trouble-making one and was a pretty bad influence.”

Judy smirked, having a hard time seeing Nick Wilde as well-behaved. “What made that change?”

If Judy had not been looking at him she would’ve missed the almost broken expression the fox wore for just a fraction of a second before flashing a helpless smile and shrugging, “Mammals change.” Somehow she felt those two words held more meaning than he was letting on.

“But speaking of Nick,” Rick went on quickly, as if hurrying to change the topic. “It _was_ a little uncalled for, following him like that.”

Judy sighed heavily, her eyes burning red, “I know I know…It just might be the most embarrassing and rude thing I’ll do this year.” She lifted her head, “But don’t worry, Rick. I know what I have to do.”

.

 _But oh, how I don’t want to do this_ …

Judy was walking down the hall, her insides twisted in knots as she made her way to Nick’s locker. As expected the red fox was loitering there with Finnick and Honey, the three chatting causally.

When Nick spotted her his eyes narrowed and his smile vanished. “We’re heading straight home after class,” he told her as she stopped before them, “Just to save you the trouble of following us.”

Judy forced herself to stay calm and looked to Finnick, who blinked expectantly. “I want to apologize for my uncalled for behavior yesterday, Finnick. It was rude, evasive and made you uncomfortable which was the last thing I wanted. I’m truly sorry.”

“No problem,” the small fox smirked in amusement, “Just don’t do it again.”

She met Nick’s gaze then and the fox rolled his eyes, “A petty apology isn’t going to work on me, Carrotpop.”

“I know,” Judy replied, “Which is why I’m going to speak your language.”

Nick’s eyes roved over her body and she fought back a shudder. Not _that_ language. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a dollar bill, offering it to the fox.

He scowled, “My emotional turmoil is worth more than a one dollar bill.”

“This isn’t for your emotional turmoil,” she answered then took a breath, collecting her dignity. “To make amends I am going to buy a soda from you weekly-starting today.”

The answer seemed to surprise Nick but he quickly shook the expression off, “Only weekly?”

Judy resisted the urge to sigh, “Either you accept my offer or I take my business elsewhere.”

The fox looked like he wanted to say more but ended up snatching the bill from her paw and beckoning her forward. He opened his locker and Judy stepped up to see a mini cooler full of different kinds of soft drinks, she picked a lemon lime soda and gave a formal nod to the three before walking off, not in the least happy she would have to do that once every week for…who knew how long.

Nick held up the bill Judy had given him and smirked, “Dumb bunny.”

“Now why say that?” Honey demanded, clearly fed up with Nick’s dislike for the rabbit.

“She just promised to give me money every week…and I didn’t even say I forgave her.”

Honey and Finnick exchanged looks, not liking the scheming look in their friend’s eyes.

“Nick…” Honey began slowly, “Sweetheart…”

“I don’t believe in apologies,” Nick told them, still looking at the bill. “I believe in payback.” His grin widened, his white teeth flashing. “And when I get my payback, Fluff the Stalker will know.”


	10. Chapter 10

While Wade Jones wasn’t fond of school in the slightest he had only ever felt anxious when he arrived. Anxious that today was the day, something would happen, his secret would get out and then the entire school would know and stare at him. The thought filled him with apprehension, but never had he been _afraid_ to go to St. Zoo.

Until now.

Now, for whatever reason, he had gotten the attention of the school’s celebrity Gazelle. The singer may as well have been a predator the way she hunted him down in between classes and lunch, waving frantically at him and yelling out his name like getting his attention was of the utmost importance. Wade would always run the other way, one time having no choice but to hide in a janitor closet. Gazelle was relentless, and he had no idea how to shake her since obviously a blunt ‘no’ didn’t cut it.

It was like she didn’t understand she and Wade were from two different worlds, she was a high society social butterfly, he was the definition of a lone wolf, feared and from the slums. If she was trying to play a trick on him he was smarter than she thought…if she was sincere…she was getting her hopes up.

But Wade knew that sooner rather than later his luck would run out, that day happened to be on Thursday in the library.

He was catching up on some studying, having been ‘preoccupied’ at home, when he caught a whiff of familiar perfume, and was instantly angry. Despite his avoidance her scent had stuck with him since their talk in the hall and he felt like he’d recognize it anywhere (not that he’d ever admit it).

And then she was sitting across from her in a snug ivory sweater and jeans, resting her chin in her hooves and smiling at him, a glint in her brown eyes that he didn’t like in the slightest.

“My God, you never stop,” Wade muttered, standing up to pack up his things.

“I have a proposition for you,” Gazelle told him, her smile not waning. She was not put out in the slightest by Wade’s near desperate urge to be away from her.

“I’m not interested,” Wade growled, his ears laid flat against his head. He usually had to check himself, make sure he didn’t look intimidating to his classmates, but he had a feeling he could be frothing from the mouth and she wouldn’t even flinch.

She truly was relentless, “You can’t say that when you haven’t even heard what I said.”

“Not interested,” he repeated, slinging his bag over his shoulder and heading toward the library exit. But in a blur Gazelle was in front of him, her arms spread out, blocking the exit. If Wade had been any other mammal he would’ve simply picked the gazelle up and place her aside. But he wasn’t, and she knew that, and he was trapped. He kept himself from touching anyone as much as possible. This prey had barely talked to him and already she knew more about him than anyone else in this school.

“I have a job for you,” Gazelle grinned. “I want to hire you to be my bodyguard.”

Wade’s eyes widened, having not seen that proposition coming in the slightest.

“Your bodyguard?” he echoed, his lip curled.

Gazelle nodded, looking excited at the idea. “I am a famous singer after all, I could use protection.”

“Don’t you have those tigers?” Wade asked, thinking of the stripped mammals that were usually by her side. He glanced around the library, wondering if they were hiding somewhere.

“They’re _dancers_ ; and yeah they’re big but hardly fighters. And according to you you’re actually worse than all these violent rumors about you; I bet you could be a very intimidating bodyguard. No mammal will come near me.”

“Exactly,” Wade said, trying to wiggle out of the offer. Since again, he knew a blunt ‘no’ wasn’t going to help. He needed excuses. “Your fan club wouldn’t go anywhere near you if I’m around.”

Her grin only widened and Wade felt a sense of dread, “ _Exactly_. As much as my adoring fans are sweet I decided to go to a public school to get away from that and be an ordinary teenager.” She pointed at him and Wade held back a flinch, fearing she’d touch him but the gazelle held her hoof back. “You are my ticket to a normal teenage life style.”

His brow knit, “Normal teenagers don’t have bodyguards.”

“I’ll take what I can get,” she shrugged. “And I’ll pay to get it.”

His ears perked at that. Payment was something to seriously consider before giving an official answer…

“…What would I have to do as your bodyguard?” Wade asked, “Besides scaring your fans away?”

Her eyes sparkled and the wolf thought about how talking to her would be much easier if she wasn’t beautiful. He didn’t like pretty mammals.

“It’s not too hard, just make sure I’m safe, and hold a conversation once in a while.” She winked, “And I’ll pay you like a king.”

Wade sighed. Spending time with her was the last thing he wanted…but money was the first thing he _needed_. So with great reluctance he spoke, “Fine, Pop Star, I’ll be your unofficial school bodyguard.”

Gazelle grinned like mad and then offered her hoof. “Shake on it.”

Wade glared at her hoof but she didn’t pull it back.

“Go on,” she told him, “I’m not going to bite, and I don’t think you will either.”

Paw shaking ever so slightly Wade shook her hoof before pulling away like it was on fire. Gazelle smiled softly, her brow furrowed. He knew she had many questions to ask but he’d be damned if he was going to answer any of them.

.

Judy, Clawhauser, and Fru Fru were heading out of the school, chatting about the possibilities of the weekend (Fru Fru was _dying_ to show Judy her large wardrobe and have a day at the mall), when Rick caught up with him.

Judy immediately noticed how he looked nervous, twiddling his thumbs like he did when they first met and he thought he had offended her.

“Could we talk?” he asked Judy who stopped walking to give him her full attention. Clawhauser and Fru Fru halted as well and watched the two. Rick glanced at them. “Just the two of us?”

The cheetah’s eyes widened humorously, “Oh-OH! Of course, sorry about that, our bad.”

He scurried off with Fru Fru in paw, the arctic shrew looking put out that she couldn’t witness the conversation.

“Everything okay?” Judy asked, looking up at the nervous fox with concern.

“Everything’s fine…I just had a question to ask.”

“Okay,” she replied, her ears perked. “I’m listening.”

Rick swallowed loudly, “Do you have any plans for tomorrow after school?”

She shook her head, “I don’t have any plans until the weekend. Fru Fru and I are going to have a girl’s day. And Clawhauser’s invited, but only him.”

He smiled in amusement before taking a breath, “Would you like to spend Friday night with me?”

Judy’s ears fell, shocked by the question and what it entailed. “Are you…asking me on a date?”

He glanced away, his blue eyes brimming with nerves and self-doubt; she really did make this handsome senior nervous. “Only if you’d like, I mean…it would be different from out usual hang outs. So I understand if-”

“Sure.”

Rick turned his gaze back to her, his face hopeful. “You will?”

She giggled at his expression, “I love hanging out with you Rick. A date sounds fun.” Rick looked like his face would crack he was smiling so wide.

“Great!” he said loudly, gaining a few odd glances from passerby. He cleared his throat and lowered his voice, “That’s great.”


	11. Ch. 11

“I can’t believe you’re going on a _date_ with him!” Fru Fru shrieked in sheer elation.

She and Clawhauser were at Judy’s house, sitting on the rabbit’s bed while said freshman was examining herself in her vanity mirror, making sure her fur was in place and her clothes wrinkle-free. She was wearing a white blouse that fluttered across her mid-riff, just showing it off, she also wore dark jeans her mother had bought her just before she left, Judy had wanted to wait for a special occasion to wear it. She finished the look with lace rose wrapped around her ear, a popular fashion accessory back in the burrows.

“I can’t really believe it either,” she admitted to her friends, smiling at them. “When I first came here the last thing I expected was going on a date with a _fox_.”

“What was your last date?” Clawhauser asked, playing around with one of the many plush toys that littered Judy’s bed.

“Last date?” Judy looked up in thought. “You know…I don’t think I’ve ever been on an actual date.”

Her friends gaped at her in shock. “How’s that possible!?” Fru demanded, “You’re so pretty!”

Judy smiled bashfully at the compliment. “I was just always so focused on convincing my parents to let me move here that I didn’t even think about it. Plus, there weren’t many rabbits that I liked.” _None of them were like Rick._

“Then this is so momentous!” Clawhauser gasped, placing his paws over his mouth. “You have to tell us _everything_!”

“Well maybe not _everything_ ,” Fru surprisingly added. She smirked knowingly at Judy, “A lady is entitled to privacy.”

Judy flushed and tried to laugh her bashfulness off, “Let’s not get too hasty, Fru. We’re just going to have dinner and hang out.”

_Though if Nick is less than pleased about this well…that wouldn’t be the worst thing._

.

“I can’t believe you’re going on a date with _her_.” Nick growled in sheer frustration.

Rick rolled his eyes as he checked under the couch for his wallet. He could’ve sworn he just had it and it was almost time to leave to pick up Judy.

“Calm down, Nick. It’s hardly any of your business,” the words were said a little more sharply than he intended and he felt the glare on his back intensify.

Rick inhaled, trying to collect some patience and stood up, dusting off his pants and straightening the vest he wore. “Look, Nick. You know I like Judy, I just want to go on one date and see what happens.”

Nick huffed, “She’s a _rabbit_. You and I both know what’ll _happen_.”

Rick took in another breath for patience.

He walked into the kitchen, seeing if he left the wallet on the table or by the sink. Their mother, Amelia Wilde, sat at the table, a Stagbucks coffee next to her while she read one of her many steamy romance novels. She didn’t glance up from the passionate words when her sons walked in, quite used to their arguing, having raised them and all.

“All I’m saying is,” Nick went on, “Despite your age, Rick, you don’t have the necessary life experience points to go on a date with a rabbit. We’re teenagers; we make bad decisions and then-”

“Mom,” Rick broke in, checking through a cabinet. “Nick’s trying to give me the sex talk again.”

Amelia didn’t look up from her book, “Nicholas, we’ve been through this. Your big brother is old enough to take care of himself.”

Nick rolled his eyes.

“Don’t give me attitude behind me back,” Amelia ordered and Nick instantly looked whipped. He sat down across from his mother and watched his brother still hunt for his wallet.

“Why do you even like her?” Nick asked out of the blue, his tone genuinely curious this time.

Rick smiled to himself. “She’s beautiful.”

“Yeah, I have eyes, Rick,” Nick replied drolly. “I meant besides that.”

Rick turned on his heel to face his brother, leaning against the refrigerator. “If you took the time to get to know her you’d see she’s also funny, smart, sweet, she’s probably the most optimistic mammal I’ve ever met. She really likes Zootopia and wants to make it better. I admire that.”

Nick only had one thing to say to that, “I don’t try to know her because she doesn’t try to know me.”

“That’s because you’re a prick who insults everyone he meets,” Rick shot back immediately.

His younger brother’s jaw dropped in shock he turned to his mother. “Ma! I’m not _really_ like that, am I?”

“Of course not darling, you’re the sweetest fox in the world who only ever has nice things to say and always keeps an open mind along with making fantastic grades and being a track star. And you’re very handsome.” Somehow Amelia’s voice was fond, distracted, amused, and mocking all at the same time.

Nick indicated to her, giving his brother a ‘see?’ look. “The queen has spoken. Her word is absolute.”

“She _has_ to say that,” Rick retorted, checking under the table for his wallet, “She’s your mother. And she always makes a point to shower us with compliments whenever she can.”

“It’s called confidence boosting,” Amelia said, flipping a page.

“With Nick it’s called ego-stroking,” Rick replied, standing up with an annoyed huff, his paws on his hips. “I just had it in the living room. I put it on the coffee table while I went to get my phone off the charger and then it-” Realization shone in Rick’s night blue eyes and he slowly turned his head to Nick who smirked evilly.

“Piberius Wilde you give me my wallet _right now_.”

Nick reached into his pocket and pulled out said item, waving it tauntingly in his paw. “Or you’ll do what?”

“Or I’ll beat you like I used to do when we were kits,” Rick threatened.

“That was then, this is now,” Nick said, leaning forward in his seat, “And first you have to catch me.”

He dashed out of the kitchen and Rick gave chase, following his fleeing sibling around their apartment while Amelia didn’t move an inch. “Make sure not to break anything, boys!” she called from her spot.

During the chase the doorbell rang, making Nick pause to glance at it which was enough time for Rick to gain and tackle his younger brother to the ground. He sat on the smaller fox and snatched the wallet from him.

“You’re impossible,” Rick growled, placing his wallet in his pocket and trying to fix the fur that had gotten messed up during the pursuit.

The doorbell rang again, more frantically this time. Rick stood up, releasing his brother who hurried over to the door, swinging it open to reveal Finnick and Honey, the latter looked stoked for some reason that made Rick nervous.

“Hello, my darlings,” Nick grinned to his friends, urging them inside. Finnick nodded to Rick, the fellow senior nodding back.

“What are you two doing here?” he asked.

“What?” Nick spoke for them. “You can go on a date with a bunny but I can’t enjoy the company of my honey, Honey and my soul brother Finnick?” He pulled the two to him in an emotional hug. “Shame on you, Dick.”

Rick rolled his eyes at his brother’s drama, “My mistake, I apologize. But now I really need to get going, don’t give Mom a hard time.” He waved goodbye to the two visitors before hurrying out the door.

As soon as it was shut behind the older fox Nick turned to his friends, his grin eccentric, “Did you bring the stuff?”

“Oh did I bring the stuff,” Honey said, grinning just as wide as the red fox as she pulled the duffel bag she had brought off her broad shoulder. Inside it were three pairs of binoculars in different sizes, walkie barkies, and dark suits that looked like something burglars would wear. Nick nearly wagged his tail with excitement.

“Where’s Flash?” he asked, pulling out a black sweater and holding it against his chest, trying to see if it would fit him right.

“I called him,” Honey said, examining the barkie, “He only had one thing to say, but it took him ten bloody minutes to say it.”

“And what was that?”

“He said, and I quote: I know a bad idea when I hear one.”

Finnick raised his paw, “I do too, and this is a terrible idea. But I’m still with it one hundred and ten percent.”

“Aw, Fin,” Nick placed a paw over his heart. “You’re so sweet.”

“No I’m not,” Finnick smirked, “I just want to be there for when Rick spots you and skins you alive, if the bunny doesn’t get to you first.”

“They’re not going to spot me,” Nick said, tossing the fennec fox the smallest outfit in the bag. “We’ll be shadows of the night, ninjas of the Savannah Square.”

“That’s where he’s going, huh?” Honey asked as she pulled a black sweater over her bulk. “I figured he’d take her to some discrete juice joint where they let mammals recite original poems and stuff.”

“Rick likes to pretend he’s cool,” Nick said, already completely in black and placing a pair of binoculars around his neck.

“And despite his brains he was still dumb enough to tell you where he was going,” Finnick said, not putting his outfit on.

“It’s a very subtle cry for help,” Nick replied, placing his own barkie in his pocket. “Now get dressed.”

“I said I was coming along I didn’t say I was dressing up,” Finnick said resolutely, placing his outfit back in the duffle bag.

Nick glared at him but just shook his head, “No time to argue, at least get your binoculars and barkie. Now, Operation ‘Spy on Dick for His Own Good Because That Rabbit is Interested in One Thing and One Thing Only’ is officially underway!”

“We need a better operation name,” Honey pointed out as they called out a swift goodbye to Amelia, saying they were going to a local diner, and raced out of the apartment to catch up with Rick, without the fox’s knowledge of course.

When the door shut behind them Amelia placed her book down and looked beseechingly up at the ceiling, “Please let me get grandkits out of _one_ of them.”

.

Judy had waited outside her uncle and aunt’s house for Rick after Fru Fru and Clawhauser had headed home. She didn’t want her relatives to cause a scene, she had told them who she was going out with and Weiss had been interested, apparently always having been fascinated by interspecies relationships. Judy had begged them not to tell her parents yet, she knew her father would have a fit if he found out she was going on a date with his least favorite mammal. Besides, it was just one date; there was no need to make a big deal out of it.

“Sorry I’m late, Binky.”

She turned her head at the voice, a smile already in place. “I couldn’t find my wallet.” He looked her up and down, his smile widening, “You look amazing.”

Her ears flushed red and her smile grew as well, “This is nothing. You look very much the gentlefox, though.”

“I try,” he replied and offered his arm, “Ready to go?”

She nodded and took his arm, making a coy remark on his biceps that made the fox chuckle in an embarrassed manner. They walked to the subway and found a seat in a relatively empty car, the only other passengers a lady pig with a pair of rowdy piglets and a snow leopard with headphones plugged into his ears, completely oblivious to the world around him as he bobbed his head to the music, his tail swaying.

Judy tried to think of a conversation, wanting to talk about something they hadn’t already talked about when they hung out at school. Turns out Rick was already prepared, he turned in his seat toward her, “Tell me about Bunnyburrow.”

Her brow knit, “You want to know about Bunnyburrow?” She didn’t think a city fox would be interested in anything like the tri-burrows.

“Yeah, you had _how_ many siblings again? I refuse to believe you don’t have some fun stories to tell.”

Judy looked up in thought, in truth there were so many she had a hard time choosing. “Well…” she began, “There was that time my brother Alfred nearly ran away with a band of gypsies…”

.

“Teen Wolf, do you copy, over? This is Bee Queen, over. What’s your position, over?”

“You know Honey you can wait until you’re done talking to say over you don’t have to say it every time you end a sentence.”

“Sorry what was that Toot-toot, I couldn’t hear you, over?”

“Don’t start with me.”

“Don’t start what, over? I can’t hear you if you don’t say over, over.”

“…I am standing right next to you! …over.”

“That’s great, now where’s Teen Wolf, over?”

“Why am I called Teen Wolf?” Nick asked, pulling his binoculars down to look at the honey badger that stood right beside him.

The three were huddled behind a bush not far from their targets. Rick and Judy had gotten off the subway and walked to Cape Street. It was a fun place where college students and families would spend their free time, with many different restaurants, shops, and bars, even an area where blasts of water gushed out of the ground like geysers, allowing kids to run through it.

At the moment Rick and Judy sat just outside a restaurant called Panda Stop, sitting at an outside table. The rabbit talking animatedly about something while Rick listened with a tender look in his eyes.

“You remind me of that wolf on the Teen Wolf Too movie, over,” Honey answered, still talking through the walkie barkie despite not needing to. “The actor looks kinda like you even though he’s a wolf and you’re a fox, over.”

Finnick rolled his eyes and held his binoculars up, studying the couple for a moment. “What is that bunny talking about? She hasn’t stopped talking since the subway.”

“Poor Rick’s ears must be bleeding,” Nick said, though he knew by the look on his brother’s face that he didn’t mind the rabbit’s chatter in the slightest.

Honey studied the other mammals at the Panda Stop, noticing a pair that looked oddly familiar. “Is that…”

Nick and Finnick followed her gaze and both broke into grins, “No way.”

.

Clawhauser and Fru Fru peered over the menu they shared, watching Judy and Rick. The cheetah had disguised himself as a punk, with dark ripped clothing, a _My Chemical Rabies_ shirt and even clip on earrings, Fru Fru was wearing a blond wig, short pink top and skirt.

“This isn’t morally wrong is it?” Clawhauser asked his friend for not the first time since they started following the two.

“Of course it isn’t,” Fru assured him. “This is our girl’s first date and as her friends we have to make sure it goes perfectly.”

Nick suddenly popped up beside them, “Define _perfectly_.”

Clawhauser quickly smothered his paw into Fru’s face, muffling her surprised screech and hunkering lower behind the menu just in case Judy still heard and glanced over.

Nick grinned from where he hid under the table with Honey and Finnick, the long table cloth hiding them from the rest of the street.

“What are you doing here?” Fru demanded, pushing Clawhauser’s paw away and glaring at the fox.

“What am _I_ doing here?” Nick spoke, “What are _you_ doing here?”

“We’re watching out for Judy since this is her first date,” Clawhauser answered immediately, not taking into consideration that Judy may not have wanted that information going public.

Nick snorted in disbelief, “Yeah, sure it is, whatever you say.”

Fru and Ben frowned at the fox but he kept talking before they could defend their friend’s honor. “ _I’m_ here to make sure my brother doesn’t make any bad decisions.”

Honey spoke up from under the table, “What counts as a bad decision, Teen Wolf?”

“If they start heading to a hotel we stop them.”

“And pray tell, how are we going to do that?” Finnick asked.

“Honey, you tackle Rick. I grab Carrots,” Nick told the honey badger.

“What do I do?” the fennec fox asked.

“You, Finnick will scare away nose passerby with that terrifying glare of yours. Let’s see it.”

Finnick scowled at his friend and Nick’s smile widened. “Beautiful,” he declared.

.

“And that’s why my aunt Helena isn’t allowed around airports anymore.”

Rick laughed heartily as Judy finished off her story and she smiled in return, glad she could make the fox laugh.

She took a sip of her drink and fixed him with a curious stare, “Okay, I think I’ve done my fair share of talking. It’s your turn.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Is it true you weren’t always the honor student you are today?” she asked, her ears pricked in interest.

Rick glanced away, his blue eyes embarrassed, “That’s correct, yes. In middle school…I was kind of a mess.”

“Define mess,” she said.

“I was always playing tricks, always using my charm and wit to get what I want. And…I probably bullied Nick a little too much when we were kits.”

Judy’s eyes widened, that was something she couldn’t imagine. “I also heard you straightened out when you became a freshman?” she asked. When he nodded she continued, “Any particular reason why you suddenly decided to behave?”

Rick’s eyes darkened for just a second and Judy’s smile faded, she was reminded of that time in Bogo’s party when she had asked what parent he had taken after.

But then the look was gone and Rick was smiling and shrugged carelessly, “Not really sure. Just got tired of being the trouble kit and decided to give my mother a break, of course as soon as I come to that decision Nick decided he wanted to be just like me.”

Judy thought of pressing him for more details but decided against it, if Rick wanted to talk about it he would. And she didn’t want to spoil the good mood.

“But speaking of Nick,” Rick continued and glanced to his left, “is that your friends and my brother’s pack over there spying on us?”

Judy glanced over to the table where she had already spotted the incognito Fru Fru and Clawhauser watching them from over a menu. “Yes, yes it is. Sorry about Ben and Fru, I think they’re just worried about me.”

“Sorry about Nick,” Rick’s shoulders sagged. “He’s just nosy and always drags his friends along on his schemes…” His ears pricked as his brain clicked on her last words, “Wait, why would your friends be worried? I thought they liked me.”

“They do,” Judy assured him, her ears flushing scarlet. “It’s just…this is kinda my first date.”

The fox’s eyes widened in disbelief, looking her up and down, “Really?”

She huffed, “Why is everyone so surprised about that?”

“Because you’re beautiful,” he said instantly. “I figured I wasn’t the first to notice.”

She smiled softly at him, warmed by the compliment. “Thank you.”

He returned the smile, “No problem. But do you wanna try to run and lose the paparazzi?” He glanced toward their friends again who at the moment weren’t looking at them.

“We can try,” she shrugged, she had a feeling they could outrun Clawhauser and Fru Fru pretty well, but Nick was on the track team.

Rick left the tip on the table and then grabbed Judy’s paw, pulling her to her feet and then they were rushing away from the Panda Stop and farther into Cape Street. Judy couldn’t help but laugh as they ran; Rick’s warm paw squeezed tighter around her own and she saw the fox was grinning. She picked up her pace.

.

Meanwhile Nick and Fru had started arguing over their very different opinions of Nick and Judy’s relationships.

“They’re adorable together,” the arctic shrew snapped, her cheeks puffed up in anger.

“Fru…” Clawhauser spoke up but was ignored.

“Lots of things are _adorable_ , doesn’t mean said things are _good_ ,” Nick growled back. “

Hey, Fru…” Clawhauser tried again fruitlessly.

“Would you stop arguing with the daughter of a mafia boss?” Finnick spoke up from under the table while Honey watched the exchange with amusement.

Fru looked at Finnick like she hadn’t noticed him before and smiled in a way that was both appreciative and flirty, “I didn’t know anyone knew about my daddy’s job. Who are you?”

“Finnick,” he answered, if he noticed the shrew’s flirty look he didn’t react to it.

“I’ll argue with whoever I please,” Nick told his friend, “It’s my brother and keeping an eye out for him was my plan.”

“Uh, guys…?” Clawhauser said but was still ignored.

“You don’t need to keep an eye on him,” Fru snarled, “Judy’s not going to attack him.”

Nick snorted once again, “Oh, my little shrew, there’s more than one way for that rabbit to _attack_ him.”

“GUYS!” Clawhauser suddenly yelled, startling the others but finally nabbing their attention.

The cheetah pointed to the now empty table, “They ran off.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Nick demanded before dashing off down the street, Honey following after with a gleefully maniacal laugh.

“Come on, Fru,” Clawhauser stood up and offered his paw to her. But his friend was smiling in an almost bashful manner at Finnick, “Can you carry me?”

The fennec fox gave her a weird look but nodded, allowing the shrew to jump onto his head before the three following after the fox and badger.

.

Judy and Rick stopped by a small huddle of kids, a few otters, two hippos, and an elephant, who were staring at the ground with barely contained excitement.

Judy placed her hands on her knees as she and the fox caught their breath, grinning at each as they did so.

“Did we lose them?” she asked, standing up straight and glancing over her shoulder. She couldn’t spot her friends or Nick but that doesn’t mean they weren’t lurking somewhere.

“I think so,” Rick replied, “At least temporarily.”

He glanced over to the young mammals, his blue eyes curious. “What are you kids doing?”

“Waiting for the water,” the elephant told him with an excited delight to her voice.

Judy and Rick glanced down at ground that was covered in bricks, square holes scattered around them, their eyes widened as they realized too late where they were. Geysers of water shot out, immediately soaking the rabbit and fox along with the kids who yelled out and laughed, jumping through the spray as they did so. Judy shared a surprised look with Rick before bursting into laugher, her eyes squeezed shut and holding her stomach as the mirth failed to subside. Rick smiled softly at her.

When Judy finally calmed down she opened her eyes, the water still going and her fur wet, Rick had suddenly stepped forward, his dark red fur even darker under the spray, his expression was uncannily serious and his blue eyes shimmering with something Judy recognized but hadn’t ever felt herself.

She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong when Rick reached out and held her face between his paws, he then leaned down and pressed their lips together, the geysers of water hiding them from the rest of Zootopia.


	12. Ch. 12

Eight year old Leodore pounced onto his dad’s back, the older lion letting out a fake cry of pain as his two cubs dug their blunt claws into his clothes, his older daughter, Lucy, having her paws buried in her father’s mane and hanging across his chest, Mr. Lionheart spinning around and laughing along with his children.

The three were in the park; it was a beautiful day and was already jam-packed with families, kits, pups, and cubs of all species running around with bountiful energy.

Mr. Lionheart had brought his two cubs to the park in the hopes of bonding with them both, especially Lucy who lived with her mother. Though mainly he had wanted his cubs to become friendlier toward each other, knowing that Lucy was being bullied for her mother’s current relationship (a zebra of all things) and Leodore being picked on for his small size, being small for a lion cub though relatives always assured him he’d hit his growth spurt soon enough.

“I’ve been outsmarted by the ferocious Lionheart siblings,” he moaned dramatically, spinning around again and making them squeal with laughter. “Whatever shall I do?!”

“You’ll surrender all your candy,” Leodore spoke up from where he clung to his father’s back. Lucy rolled her eyes but her grin didn’t waver.

“If I must-I _must_!” Mr. Lionheart fell onto the bench with a tired huff. He pulled his cubs off him and placed them on the ground, ignoring their disappointed pouts.

“Before I give you my secret stash of candy, why don’t you two go find a pride,” he suggested to them.

Leodore cocked his head, “A pride?”

“He means a pack, Leo,” Lucy said with an uppity lift of her pink nose. “Like herds and flocks, a pride is the pack word for a big group of lions.”

“That’s right,” their father nodded, “Now go form yourself a pride.”

Lucy dashed off, immediately heading to a large pack of kids by the playground but Leodore stayed where he was, looking up at his father with big eyes.

“What’s wrong, son?” Mr. Lionheart asked.

“Does it have to be lions?” the cub asked. “Does my pack have to have only lions?”

Mr. Lionheart cocked a thick brow, “What other mammals would you like?”

The cub shrugged, he wasn’t thinking of anything particular. He just knew that most lion cubs were thrown off by his runty size.

“I don’t see why not,” his father told him, “Now go along and make some friends.” He gently pushed his son to the playground.

By the time Leodore made his way to said playground Lucy was already surrounded by other lion cubs, talking animatedly about something and already having all the cubs around her paw. Leodore frowned to himself; while Lucy wasn’t outright mean to him she was pretty rough and didn’t make a habit of letting him play with her unless it involved their father.

He glanced around at the other mammals, wondering who would make a good member of his pride. He glanced at a hippo that was eating a lollipop. Leodore sucked in a breath and marched over to the larger mammal.

“Hi,” he said, hoping he wasn’t too loud or forceful.

The hippo gave him a weird look and continued licking the lollipop, “Hey.”

“Do you want to be part of my pride?” he asked straight off the bat. “It’s another word for pack.”

The hippo barely glanced at him, “Why?”

Leodore’s shoulders sunk at those words and he walked off, he didn’t want to appear needy and try to convince the hippo. He continued to ask random mammals if they’d want to be his friends and most of them had the same reaction as the hippo, wanting a genuine reason but not receiving any. Others gave him a flat out no.

Feeling defeated and incredibly unpopular Leodore stood by the large play set, watching mammals climb up and down, swing on the swings and ride down the slide. Suddenly a shriek had Leodore jumping into the air and whirling around just as a small red fox in a junior ranger uniform raced past him, being chased by an older fox with darker fur.

“I’m gonna get you, Nick!” the older fox growled with a teasing grin, knocking against Leodore as he ran past, making the lion cub trip and fall into the sand box directly behind him.

“Rick, I’m not a bird I’m your brother!” the smaller fox squeaked pathetically as he continued to run. “Junior rangers don’t play like this!”

Leodore sat up, shaking the sand off his fur as the two foxes ran farther into the park. The sand box was located directly under the slide; the play set casting shade over it and making the sand nice and cool. He glanced around and spotted a red bucket that was the size for an elephant calf who must’ve left it there. He stood up and walked over, placing his paws on the bucket, ready to make a sand castle as big as his body, when a sudden squeak came from under it.

Leodore’s ears pricked in surprise and curiosity and he picked up the bucket, tossing it across the sand box to reveal who was hiding inside it: a lamb, big green eyes staring up at him with fear and indignation.

“What’d you do that for?” the sheep demanded in a small and meek voice.

Leodore frowned, “Why were you hiding under a bucket?”

She glanced past his shoulder to see the other kids still running around, a few predators even play fighting. She buried herself farther into her wool; she didn’t look like she knew who to look at, Leodore or the other kids.

The cub’s brow furrowed as he came to a crazy realization, “Are you _scared_ of me?”

The lamb let out another squeak at his loud voice and closed her eyes, nodding frantically.

Leodore had no idea what to make of that, he was always too small to ever be intimidating, especially compared to his father and even Lucy. He was honestly kind of flattered.

“You’re-you’re too big!” she mumbled into her wool.

Leodore grinned despite the sheep’s fear, “I _am_?”

She nodded again, “You’re r-really big and scary.”

“Thanks,” his grin broadened. “You’re cool too.”

The sheep looked up at him with surprise and confusion, “E-excuse me?”

“No one’s ever called me big and scary,” he told her. “As a lion that makes me cool, right?”

The lamb shook her head helplessly in answer and flinched when Leodore sat down across from her, his smile still big.

“Please don’t eat me,” the sheep mumbled softly, her big eyes afraid.

Leodore laughed, “I’m not going to _eat_ you! Why would I do that?”

The lamb glanced away, her eyes taking on an almost haunted look. “Pred-predators tried before.”

“Well, I won’t,” he swore. Then cocked his head to the side, “But technically I’m a runt, my sister is much bigger than me.”

She made a frightened whimper and Leodore frowned. He really needed to think before he spoke, like his mom always told him.

“Don’t worry,” he told the lamb. “I won’t let her get you.”

She blinked up at him, looking surprised by his words. “You won’t?”

He shook his head, “I’ll protect you.” He flashed his teeth but quickly closed his mouth when the lamb shivered again. “I’m Leodore, but you can call me Leo.”

“I-I’m Dawn,” the lamb said, then straightened up despite the fear still lingering in her eyes, “Dawn Bellwether.”

“Pretty,” Leodore told her, scooting closer to her. The sheep scooted back. “Hey, Dawn. Do you wanna be part of my pride?”

Dawn’s brow furrowed, “I thought that was only for lions?”

He was pleased she already knew what a pride was. “My dad said I can have any mammal I want. So what do you say? Wanna join?”

“What would I have to do?”

Leodore frowned, “Uh…I don’t know.”

His ears twitched and he looked around, “Wanna build a sand castle?”

Without waiting to hear her answer Leodore stood up and picked up the large bucket, placing it upright and starting to throw pawfuls of sand inside it. After a few moments Bellwether stood up on wobbly legs and started to help him pour sand into the bucket. Leodore smiled to himself but didn’t say anything.

When the bucket was filled to the brim he quickly flipped it over, making sure it would stand perfectly still and sat back down to wait. Bellwether stayed on her feet, casting worried glances from him once in a while before turning her eyes back to the bucket. Leodore looked past the sand box to see his sister play fighting with the other lion cubs, of course she was winning; Lucy was the toughest mammal he knew.

He turned to say something to Bellwether but saw the lamb staring at the cubs with fearful eyes, her small body shaking.

Leodore frowned, “Don’t worry. My sister isn’t going to come over. Between you and me I don’t think she likes me very much.”

“They’re just so loud…” she whimpered, her big eyes still on the roughhousing cubs.

A minute later Leodore stood up and picked up the bucket to reveal the sand had taken on a cylinder shape, he grinned to himself, it was nearly as big as him. He turned his smile to Bellwether who didn’t know whether to look at it or him. He stepped toward her and she took a step back.

“Come on, let’s play castle. You can be the princess on top of the tower.”

“Wh-what?” she asked, her eyes getting even more impossibly wider.

Leodore stretched his arms out, “Here, I’ll put you on top of the tower.”

“Don’t touch me!” she shrieked, huddling into herself with her eyes slammed shut. Leodore started, his arms dropping to his sides. Too late he realized the little sheep had never told him she wanted to be friends, wanted to be part of the pack.

“S-sorry,” he mumbled, turning away. “I just…I don’t have any friends so I thought…Sorry.” He crawled out of the sandbox and walked away, looking for anyone else who’d want to join his pride.

.

Dawn watched the lion cub walk away, her heart still hammering over being so near the predator. He couldn’t have been serious about wanting to be her friend. Nobody wanted to be her friend. He was just trying to trick her for the fun of it.

She watched him walk off, expecting him to go to the other cubs but he only looked at them longingly before sitting on a nearby bench, resting his chin in his paws. Bellwether’s brow knit, waiting for some predator to run over and ask him to play but everyone was avoiding him like the plague.

Just like mammals did with her mother.

Bellwether’s stomach tied itself in knots and before she knew what she was doing she stepped out of the sandbox and forced her little legs to march toward the lion. He said he wouldn’t eat her…he said he’d protect her…and he said it with sincere honesty in his big brown eyes.

.

Leodore jolted from his reverie of the past as Bellwether’s voice got louder. He was leaning against a wall, mindlessly looking through his phone when his friend’s shriek had him turning to see her glowering up at Bogo of all mammals, not bothered by the buffalo’s greater height in the least.

Leodore smiled to himself, remembering the scared, trembling sheep who had sat with him on that park bench all those years ago, had apologized for her behavior and told him she’d be a part of his pack as long as he kept his promise about not eating her. A timid friendship started, Leodore always having to remind himself to be gentle and quiet as to not scare his one and only friend, months after they officially became a two mammal pride he met her mother for the first time. He had been proud that he managed not to scare at her scars, he had been supportive when Bellwether finally told him what had happened, why she was so scared of predators, and their friendship had only gotten stronger. As the years grew by Leodore finally hit his growth spurt and gotten to be as tall as Lucy and the other cubs their age who finally allowed him to hang out with him, but many times he rejected the offer in favor of Bellwether who in return got more assertive and her fear of predators diminished.

And he was staring at the proof of her forcefulness right now as she and Bogo argued over something though he wasn’t sure what. Knowing his friend’s temper however, he quickly hurried over before she tried to attack the buffalo.

“And another thing!” she huffed just as Leodore picked her up from behind, making her let out an indignant huff.

“Excuse me, Bogo,” Leodore smiled at the cape buffalo, “But I need to steal my vice president away.” He hurried off before Bellwether could object.

“What’d you do that for?” she growled up at her friend, she never would’ve growled when she was a lamb.

“I was scared you’d tear his head off,” Leodore joked, “Murder _is_ a crime you know.”

“I wouldn’t have killed him,” Bellwether huffed, crossing her arms and wearing a sour expression. “Just mortally wound him. Honestly, that ego of his!”

Leodore chuckled and before he could think better of it nuzzled against her soft wool, not noticing how Bellwether tensed up at the touch. “Where did my shy little lamb go?”

She rolled her and pushed his nose away, “She’s right here. She’s just not shy anymore.” She offered him a grateful smile as they continued down the hall, “Thanks to you.”


	13. Chapter 13

Judy sat with Fru Fru and Clawhauser at lunch. Her two friends talking about the latest and most shocking of gossip, at least at the moment: Gazelle and Wade.

The wolf was sitting at Gazelle’s usual table, his red hood thrown over his head while the gazelle sat next to him and chatted about something, though it was unsure if Wade was listening or not. Across from them sat Sven and Winter, by their expressions they were painfully aware of Wade’s presence and had no idea what to make of him.

“Are they dating?” Fru asked, openly watching the table.

“I don’t think so,” Ben told her, “I heard that she hired him to be a bodyguard or something.”

Fru let out an amused noise, “It seems to be working. Even her dedicated fan base is leaving her alone today.”

“I’m part of the dedicated fan base,” Clawhauser pointed out.

“But you’re considerate enough not to smother her, darling,” Fru assured him. “And speaking of not smothering it looks like Sven is finally over Charlie.”

The reindeer had been keeping his distance from the cheetah for weeks now and it was befuddling the entire student body.

“I’m sure it’s more complicated than that,” Clawhauser replied, then glanced at the rabbit across from them, “What do you think Judy?”

The bunny had her nose buried in a science book, but by the faraway look in her violet eyes she wasn’t processing a word she read.

“Judy?” Fru spoke a little louder than the cheetah, catching the rabbit’s attention. Judy’s ears shot up and she looked up at her friends.

“Sorry, what is it?”

“Are you okay, sweetie?” Clawhauser asked worriedly. “You’ve been spacing out a lot lately.”

“Ever since your date with Rick,” Fru clarified.

Judy flushed and glanced away, “Sorry, there’s just been a lot on my mind recently. I-I’m not doing as good in class as I want to be.”

Which wasn’t a lie, she had come to St. Zoo with the intent of being an A plus student which wasn’t working out so well. But that wasn’t the main reason. The main reason for her spacing out was, in fact, Rick.

Rick had stopped kissing her a second before the geysers of water receded, leaving their fur damp and their lips swollen. They had kept their eyes locked for a second longer before Rick stood up straight and glanced away, pulling at the collar of his shirt, his expression bashful, “S-sorry.”

“That’s-that’s fine,” she quickly assured him. It wasn’t a bad kiss but-

“What’s fine?” a new voice suddenly yelled out only to be immediately shushed.

Judy whirled around to see her friends with Nick, Honey, and Finnick, the latter three wearing all black and even had binoculars. Nick and Finnick were glaring at Honey who had been the one to speak, but the glares had no affect on the larger mammal.

“What?” she demanded, “I couldn’t see through all that water! I have no idea what they’re talking about!”

“We kissed!” Judy called to them, for the specific purpose of seeing the face Nick would make.

And oh what a priceless face it was, an incredibly humorous mixture of shock and frustration that had her and Rick laughing.

“I _knew_ this would happen!” the younger red fox growled, stepping away from the dumpster they had been hiding behind, the others following suite.

Nick hurried over to his brother’s side and started ranting about all the warnings he had apparently already given him while Fru and Ben crowded Judy and desperately tried to apologize for their sneaking.

“We just wanted to make sure everything went okay on your first date,” Ben insisted.

Nick rolled his eyes, “Stop saying that, this is so not her first date.”

Judy thought of scowling in annoyance but instead smirked up at him. “I’ve had one date today. That’s officially more than you’ve had in your entire lifetime.”

She got a laugh out of Finnick for that remark.

And now it was four days later (if you counted the weekend), and Judy was coming to a very bad realization. A realization she wasn’t going to accept just yet because she believed there was a chance she was wrong. She hoped she was wrong. Fru and Ben gave her fond looks. “You don’t have to be perfect, sweetie,” the shrew assured her.

Judy’s ears twitched when she heard approaching footsteps and glanced up to see Rick enter the cafeteria, he spotted her and his smile grew. Judy’s stomach twisted into knots. The fox walked over, “Hi, guys.”

“Hi,” Fru and Ben chimed in immediately, smiling at him in an awe-struck well. Judy managed her own convincing smile as she scooted over to give him room to sit down, which he did.

“What’s new?” he asked the three. One of Rick’s best qualities was that as a senior he was modest and didn’t mind hanging out with freshman even when he was one of the few seniors who did.

“Juju’s not doing so great in our science class,” Fru told him, waving a paw toward her friend and the textbook before her.

Rick glanced at Judy then down at her book, “You aren’t?”

“It keeps flying right over my head,” Judy moaned, leaning her head back against the booth.

Rick picked up the textbook and flipped through the pages, his eyes thoughtful and nostalgic as he read snippets of the material. “It’s been some time since I’ve done work for this but I might be able to help.” He glanced at Judy with an easy smile, “I’m pretty busy through the school hours but if you’d like you can come over to my house today and I can tutor you.”

When Judy hesitated he added, “Nick’s hanging out with Finnick downtown today.” She laughed, the twisting in her stomach loosening, she was becoming obvious on her regards to the youngest Wilde. “If you don’t mind, that’d be great. I’d love to meet your parents.”

There is was again, that dark look in Rick’s eyes before he managed to blink it away. Judy wanted to ask about it but knew she had a bigger problem on her paws at the moment.

“We can head over after school then,” he told her, his smile back in place. Judy nodded.

.

Hours later Judy followed Rick into his apartment. It was a quaint place, full of pretty greens, a burgundy couch sat in the living room along with a coffee table, book shelf, and a TV.

Rick led her into the kitchen where a vixen was placing leftovers in plastic containers and placing them in the fridge. She turned when she heard the two approach, and Judy was surprised by how much she looked like Nick. They had the same green eyes and shade of fur, her eyes were friendlier than Nick’s but they also looked tired. Instantly Judy knew this was a fox who had known happiness but also tragedy and the bunny liked her immediately.

“Mom,” Rick spoke up, “This is my friend I told you about: Judy.”

“Judy, huh,” his mother said wryly, her eyes crinkling. “I never would’ve guessed since you bring rabbits home _all_ the time.”

Judy chuckled at the joke and Rick looked like he was resisting rolling his eyes.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Wilde,” Judy greeted with a polite smile.

“Oh, darling call me Amelia,” the vixen waved off Judy’s formality. “Mrs. Wilde just reminds me how old I am and I already have two sons for that. Can I get you something to eat?”

“No thank you,” Judy replied, “I just came to have a study session with Rick.”

“A study of _what_?” Amelia asked with a suggestive brow raise.

“ _Mom_!” Rick ears were red with embarrassment and the vixen laughed at her son’s flustered expression.

“Let me tease my baby,” she cooed, stepping over and pinching his cheek. “Soon your last year will be over and you’ll abandon me to be a doctor.”

Judy’s ears pricked, this being the first time she had ever heard of this. Rick gently pulled his mother’s paw away from his sore cheek, “The college I’m going to is just downtown, Mom. I’ll be visiting all the time; you know I wouldn’t leave you alone with Nick.”

Amelia chuckled again, “I know, I know. It’s just I blink and you two are all grown up.”

She stepped back and straighten up, “But enough with feeling nostalgic, you have a cute little bunny to tutor and I have things to clean before I start tonight’s shift.”

Rick frowned but didn’t say anything as Amelia gave Judy one last smile before heading down the hall, farther into the apartment.

“I like her,” Judy said, sitting down at the table next to her friend. “She’s cool.”

“Yeah, she is,” Rick’s voice was low as if he didn’t want Amelia to hear him. “But she always puts too much on her shoulders, Nick and I hate that she has two jobs and is always taking more shifts. We told her we could get a part time job to help but she refuses to let us.” He sighed, “She’s far too proud.”

Judy reached over and patted his paw comfortingly and he offered her a grateful smile.

“Why didn’t you ever say you’re studying to be a doctor?” she asked him, wanting to offer a distraction/genuinely wanting to know.

He shrugged, “I guess it never came up, I liked hearing about you.”

Judy’s stomach twisted at the words but she tried to ignore it. “You’ll be a great doctor.”

She pulled out her science textbook and placed it between them. Rick opened it to a certain page: “Okay, let’s get the periodic table down.”

.

About an hour later Judy wanted to weep with relief because she was finally, successfully, memorizing the periodic signs, she smiled up at Rick. “If being a doctor doesn’t work out you should try teaching.”

Rick flashed his teeth in a grin, “Maybe…Professor _Wilde_. Has a nice ring to it.”

Amelia then walked in, smiling at the two, “Are you done wooing fair lady’s heart, Richard?”

Again his resistance in not rolling his eyes had Judy smirking. “Is there anything I can do for you, Mom?”

“Drop me off at my shift? I don’t want to leave the car there in case you or Nick needs it.”

Rick glanced uncertainly at Judy who then broke into a huge yawn, rubbing at her sore eyes. She had had her nose in her textbook all the previous night and day, prepping for Friday’s test and she was starting to feel the strain.

“Wanna rest your eyes here while I drop my mom off? Shouldn’t take too long.”

“Sure,” Judy replied sleepily. “If it’s no trouble.”

“No trouble at all, sweetie,” Amelia answered. “It was great finally meeting you. Rick, I’ll be waiting in the car.” And then with a wave the vixen was out the door.

“You can just take a nap on my bed,” Rick told her standing up, “Go down the hall it’s the room with the door open. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

Judy nodded and waved goodbye as Rick walked out of the apartment. She put her textbook in her bag, hoping she wouldn’t forget any of the methods Rick taught her, and walked down the hall. A door on the left was wide open and Judy stepped inside.

It wasn’t what she expected Rick’s room to look like. It was a mess, food wrappers and balled up paper littered the floor. There was a cluttered desk with an old style computer, a closet overflowing with clothes, and the walls were covered with posters of movies and bands. The bed, pressed up on the far wall, had a wrinkled thick black comforter with a pile of pillows all of different sizes and colors.

She shrugged; it was Rick’s own business if he wanted to be a slob in the comfort of his home and crawled onto the bell. The comforter was wonderfully soft and she buried her face into the equally pleasant-feeling pillows. They carried a scent that was familiar but she didn’t believe it was Rick’s musk. She buried her face further and breathed in, whatever the scent was-she liked it.

All too easily Judy fell into a light sleep.

.

“You ever realize we never hang out with Flash,” Nick asked Finnick as the smaller fox drove his friend home. They decided to cut karaoke night short since there were too many annoying lovey-dovey couples there tonight.

“Huh,” Finnick said, his tone indicating he had never thought about it before. “That’s true. But he does have a girlfriend.”

“Yeah, and I’d say he hangs out with her too much, but really they haven’t had that many dates considering they’ve been a couple for years.”

“Yeah,” Finnick replied, “Wanna try and invite for the next karaoke night?”

“Yeah, write that down or something, we gotta do that.”

Finnick parked his van in front of Nick’s apartment building, the red fox told his friend bye and that he’d see him tomorrow before jumping out of the passenger seat and into the building.

He walked into his apartment to find it empty. He remembered that his mother had an extra shift at her second job tonight and Nick growled low in his throat, he wished she’d stop being so stubborn and just let him or Nick get a part time job. Nick used to put some of the money he got from his cons on her dresser but he’d always find the money on his desk later. His mother downright refused her sons’ help. Rick had probably driven her there so at least for a few minutes he had the place to himself.

“I’m gonna take a nap,” he decided, almost thrown by his party animal life style.

He walked down the hall only to stop again, his door was open, looking farther down the hall he saw Rick’s was shut. Mother had been cleaning again.

Rick always kept his door wide open, as if inviting the whole world to come in and have a chat. Nick always had his closed, his room was his and his alone and he didn’t want to share. When they were in bad moods they’d switch it up, Rick would keep his door closed, blocking out the rest of the world, the only time he wanted to be alone was probably the only time he didn’t need to be. According to Amelia, the reason Nick kept his door open when he was in a foul mood was because subconsciously he was reaching out and wanted someone to talk to him. Nick believed he kept the door open in fear that his anger would make him slam it close and end up breaking.

But since neither he and Rick were in bad moods he knew his mother had been cleaning, not their rooms per say she stopped doing that years ago, but the hallway and bathroom and while Rick wouldn’t mind her closing his door, she opened Nick’s just to tick him off. He swore sometimes his mother was more of a child then her sons were.

Nick walked into his room and started to slip off his shirt, it was bunched up at his elbows when he realized he wasn’t alone. He bit his tongue to keep from yelling out in shock/fright when he spotted the figure in his bed.

Said figure moved slightly from under the comforter and he recognized a pair of gray, velvety ears.

_CARROTS!?_

Nick was pretty sure he blacked out from sheer shock for a fraction of a second, but then he blinked and was back in his room and Judy was still lying in his bed and he had no idea what he should do! How should he react? How should he even feel about this? Terrified? Annoyed? Amused? _Intrigued_?

He mentally slapped himself for that last word and turned on his heel. He felt like Rick had said something about Judy coming over for a tutoring session or something nerdy like that. Logic stated that she was taking a nap while Rick was gone and mistook Nick’s room for his brother’s. That made sense. He’d just hang out in the living room until he-wait.

Nick’s shirt slipped off his arms onto the floor as an idea came to his head; he slowly turned his head to look at the still snoozing Judy. A plan was forming in his head and his lips curled up into a grin as he finally had the means for his revenge.

.

Judy felt something hot breeze across the fur of her throat. With her eyes still closed and her brain still foggy with drowsiness, she merely made an annoyed mumbling noise and snuggled deeper into the mattress. Her ear twitched as she heard the bed creak, as if another, heavier weight had climbed onto the bed. She felt something press against her neck and then a husky, whispered voice: “Judy.”

Her eyes snapped open, a shirtless fox leered over her, his paws caging her in and his lips pressed against her neck. For a moment Judy thought it was Rick, but then she saw the green eyes. “You don’t look half bad when you’re under me.”

Judy shrieked and kicked at the fox but Nick was quicker, he jumped back out of range as he burst into laughter. He leaned his back against the wall and grinned at the bunny with mocking amusement in his eyes.

Judy held the comforter up to her chest as if _she_ was the one not wearing a shirt. “What are you doing?!” She snapped her voice cracking and her ears crimson.

Nick snickered, “I came home, to _my_ room, to sleep in my bed, only to find _my_ bed was already occupied.”

Judy looked around as if seeing the room for the first time, suddenly the mess made perfect sense. “I thought this was Rick’s room.”

“I bet you did,” Nick replied, “And I bet you didn’t plan on _sleeping_ in my brother’s room either.”

Judy scowled furiously, “You’re the _worst_!”

“No need for flattery, Carrots. I already had you in my bed.”

Her scowl deepened her purple eyes like fire, “You nearly gave me a heart attack just for a chuckle?”

“Of course not,” Nick answered, “I took a few years off your life because you did the same to me with your stalking episode.”

Judy’s jaw dropped in disbelief, “I already apologized!”

“But I never said I forgave you,” Nick pointed out.

“You’re impossible!”

Nick’s grin widened, “It’s called payback, sweetheart.”

With a growl of fury and frustration Judy jumped off the bed and stormed out of the room, Nick’s laughter following after.

Judy ran out of the apartment building and started down the street, trying to calm her racing heart and anger. Just when she thought Nick couldn’t get any more terrible she was proven wrong. The bunny wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered, still feeling his breath on her neck, his lips on her skin while he had hovered over her in his bed, half-naked at that too! And they had been all alone…she shivered again.

“Carrots?”

Judy flinched and whirled around, ready to start a screaming match with that awful red fox. But instead it was Finnick, driving alongside her in his van, his eyes curious. “I forgot your name,” the fennec fox explained. “And Nick always called you Carrots, Fluff, or Stalker.”

Judy huffed, “Nick is the last name I want to hear right now.”

Instant understanding lit Finnick’s face as he smirked, “Need a ride?”

When he saw Judy’s suspicious expression he clarified, “It’s to make up for following you around on your date.”

Despite her current sour mood Judy managed to smile, “That doesn’t make everything magically okay.”

Finnick barked out a laugh as he opened the passenger door and the bunny climbed in, buckling up as she did so.

“What is your name anyway?” Finnick asked as he started the van and drove on. “For future reference.”

“My name’s Judy,” she answered, leaning her cheek against the window.

Finnick glanced at her, catching the sad droop of her ears and shoulders. “What did Wilde do this time?”

“Scared me,” Judy replied, not wanting to go into detail. “Apparently I couldn’t buy his forgiveness for following you two around town.”

The small fox sighed, “Yeah, he has a thing about revenge.”

“Why is he so awful?” Judy demanded, more to herself than her driver. “Why does he hate me being around Rick so much that he has to make me miserable?”

“He hates all couples,” Finnick told her.

“ _Why_?”

Judy turned in her seta to look at the fox, she wanted the answer and she wanted it now.

After a few moments of silence Finnick straightened up, “Look, I don’t make the habit of telling my friend’s business to other mammals but obviously you’re suffering because of it and I think Rick should’ve told you by now, so I’ll make an exception.” He fixed her with a hard glare. “As far as everyone outside this van is concerned, this conversation never happened.”

Judy nodded, her ears perked up, ready to listen.

“I’ll cut right to the chase,” Finnick began, “There dad’s gone.”

Judy’s brow furrowed, “You mean he’s dead?”

“No, I mean he _left_ them, right before Rick’s freshman year. He abandoned his family.”

“ _Why_?”

“I don’t know, I don’t think even the Wildes know. He didn’t say goodbye, didn’t even leave a note. Rick and Nick woke up one morning and he was just gone, leaving their mom, who barley made enough salary to feed one mammal, to take care of them all on her own.”

Judy remembered how Amelia worked two jobs and her chest twisted in sympathy. “Seeing their mother in the kitchen sobbing her eyes out and finding out their father wanted nothing to do with them…it changed them both. Rick decided to be more mature, wanting to take on more responsibilities so his mom wouldn’t have to worry about him. As for Nick, he decided to stop being a shy little kit and instead became an assertive asshat.”

“So that’s why he’s so against relationships?”

“That’s half of the reason. Rick told me he knew his parents were having problems, arguing more often, he figured something like that would happen. But Nick, he didn’t see it coming at all; he thought his parents would always be madly in love, that they’d all live happily ever after. That coupled with some other…events…and he kinda shut down emotionally.”

“Events?” Judy echoed.

“Sorry, that’s as much sharing about my friend’s personal life that you’re going to get out of me.”

Judy’s eyes trailed back to the window, this new information whirling around her head. All those depressed looks Rick would show whenever family was brought up now made sense.

“Does Nick think I’d abandon Rick like his father did to them?” Judy asked Finnick. “No, he thinks you’ll cheat on him.”

“I wouldn’t!” Judy insisted. “I’m not even dating him!”

Finnick glanced at her with mild surprise. “But you eventually will, right?”

Judy’s tongue suddenly felt like cotton and she glanced away guiltily. But she needed to talk to someone about this and Finnick had already shared some very personal information with her, she should trust him with at least one of her secrets.

“Finnick, do you believe in chemistry?”

His brow knit, “Like in science?”

She shook her head, “No, like, relationship chemistry. Do you believe that when two mammals love each other, belong together, there’s a spark? When you’re with the one who’s meant for you…shouldn’t you be able to tell, at least a little? Shouldn’t your heart skip a beat or something?”

“Probably,” he replied quietly, by his tone he already knew where this was going.

Judy kept talking anyway, “There was no spark when Rick kissed me. It was a nice kiss, I liked it but…it didn’t make my pulse sky-rocket or my palms sweaty or anything I expected. My parents and relatives always told me about the spark you’re supposed to feel when you like someone. I don’t have that _spark_ with Rick and I can’t…I can’t be with him when I feel like this.”

Finnick didn’t reply but his ears were pricked as he listened. Judy swallowed, a lump in her throat, and looked at the fox, “I don’t want to give him false hope. I don’t want to date him when I don’t appreciate him like I should. I like him, but not the way he wants me to.”

Finnick nodded, “The best thing you can do is tell him that. He deserves the truth.”

“I know…Thank you, Finnick, for all of this.”

He shrugged, “No problem.”

But it was a problem, as the fennec fox dropped her off Judy walked into her home knowing that come tomorrow…she’d have to break Rick’s heart.


	14. Chapter 14

When Sven didn’t come to school that first day, years ago, Charlie who was just a cub, feared her friend was sick. She had waited impatiently for the final bell to ring before she sprinted out of class and raced to her friend’s house. She’d help take care of him, fix him sandwiches and tuck him in and read to him until he was all better. 

            Charlie knocked on the door of the Jingle home but no one answered, after trying to knock a few more times she peered into the window to see all the living room furniture was gone, the room completely bare. Charlie’s jaw dropped. Did Sven’s family get robbed?

 “They’re not there, honey,” the neighboring polar bear called from her door, having spotted the cheetah.

 Charlie looked over to the predator, frowning in confusion. “Where are they?”

“They moved,” the polar bear answered. “Left Zootopia completely I heard.”

 Charlie’s heart twisted and her throat closed up as she nodded mutely and walked home. By the time she walked into her own house her mother saw she was sobbing.

 “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Mrs. Spotwood hurried over and picked her daughter up, cuddling her against her chest.

Charlie sniffled into her mother’s apron, “He-he’s gone! Sven moved away and-and he didn’t even say _goodbye_.”

 “Oh, baby,” Mrs. Spotwood nuzzled against her daughter’s head as she carried her to the young cub’s room and sat on the bed. “I’m so sorry.”

 “Why…why did he leave without telling me?” Charlie hiccupped. “I thought we were friends.”

 “Maybe he didn’t know how to tell you,” her mother offered. “But it’s going to be alright, I had a friend of mine move away once but I was okay after a while. I had my other friends to keep me company, and you have Winter and that nice little girl, Gazelle.”

 Charlie knew that, but neither of those two could replace Sven. “I thought we’d stay together forever.”

 “I know,” her mother breathed understandingly, rubbing a paw comfortingly over her daughter’s back.

 “He told me I would be Mrs. Jingle.”

The paw stopped, “Pardon?”

 “Sven told me if he ever won Chase and Pin he’d marry me. That can’t happen now that he’s gone forever.”

 “Oh sweetie, even if he stayed you wouldn’t have married him.”

Charlie looked up at her mother through the tears in her eyes, “Why not?”

 “Well Charlotte, you’re a cheetah, and he’s a reindeer. It wouldn’t work out.”

Charlie frowned, “I’ve seen different species marry before.”

 “I know but most of those at least have a few things in common, both are prey, both are predators, both are from the same habitat. You and Sven, you’re just too different, it would never work out. You’d just make each other miserable.”

 Charlie had never thought that could happen, but as her mother continued telling her of what all could go wrong with an interspecies couple Charlie was starting to be grateful that Sven had left after all.

It was her second day of freshman year and she was pulling books out of her locker when she heard a voice call her name. Even though the voice had gotten deeper she still recognized it instantly. Charlie had whirled around to see Sven standing there in the hall like he had never left.

He was grinning at her, his eyes shining, his antlers had finally grown in, and he was so tall and so handsome and so _perfect_. For just a moment Charlie was filled with such relief and happiness and love her legs nearly gave out.

Then reality came back. He had left her, had disappeared for _years_ , and even if she forgave him (which she did almost immediately), they couldn’t be together. They were two completely different species, it would never work out. And she had to let Sven know that.

 So with that grim fact in mind and what was left of her anger, Charlie punched her old friend in the snout, managing to not let it show that the punch had probably hurt her paw as much as it did his nose.

            And now the two were juniors and Sven looked to have finally gotten over her. Avoiding her around classes and not even looking at her anymore. A part of Charlie was relieved; now that Sven was over her he could find another pretty reindeer and be happy which was what he deserved. Meanwhile she would pretend that she didn’t desperately wish she wasn’t a cheetah and that she wasn’t still in love with him and that having to stay away from him broke her heart.

 

.

 

            Rick opened his bedroom door and nearly tripped over a cup of Stagbucks coffee that was left in front of his door. Despite his still bitter mood he smirked and picked up the cup, taking a sip to realize it was mocha. His favorite.

Nick always left his brother a treat when he was feeling guilty.

            Last night he had returned home from dropping off Amelia to find Nick lying on the couch, his younger brother making a disappointing clicking noise with his tongue when Rick entered. The sound and the sight of his brother instantly put the older fox on edge and he looked toward the hall with dread. “I thought it was karaoke night.”

“There was a line,” Nick said, examining his claws as he took a swig of cola. “By the way, Mom was cleaning the hallway.”

 Rick swallowed knowing that meant she had closed his door and opened Nick’s…and he had told Judy to go into the room with the open door. He stared at his brother in horror, “What did you do?”

“All I did was come home to take a nap,” Nick replied, flicking his tail causally. “But what do you know my bed was already occupied by a bunny.”

 “She mixed up our rooms,” Rick told him.

“I figured as much. But it worked out actually, finally got my payback from when she stalked me.”

 “What-did-you- _do_?” Rick’s question came out as a snarl.

 Nick stood up, walking over to his brother and raising his paws, “I simply got on my bed, but I managed to leer over her like I was planning on eating her too. If she was a feline I’d say I successfully took off five of her nine lives.”

 Rick gaped and headed toward the hallway, “Where is she?”

 “She left,” Nick strolled after his brother, clasping his paws behind his back, “Ran, to be more precise.”

 Rick whirled around and bared his fangs, “ _What is wrong with you_!?”

Nick took a step back, “Say it don’t spray it, bro.”

“ _Nick_!”

 The younger fox rolled his eyes, “I embarrassed her, it’s not like I attacked her. It’s not my fault you like some annoying, nosy, acts like she’s _so_ perfect rabbit-”

 “You’re right. It’s not your fault,” Rick interrupted, his voice dripping with sardonic frustration. “But you know what is?”

 “Enlighten me,” Nick yawned.

 “It’s your fault you never grew up and let the past go. It’s your fault that every time you see any couple, _any_ couple, you either see our parents or you and Sue.”

 Nick flinched, curling his lip at his brother, “That was a low blow.”

 “And ruining _my_ relationships isn’t?” his brother demanded. “I try to be patient with you and your hate on romance and how you plan to live alone for the rest of your miserable life! But now you’re ruining _my_ life and getting in the way of _me_ being happy!” Rick stomped to his room, his heart pounding painfully in his chest, he hadn’t yelled at Nick in a long time. “If you want to ruin your own life and never be happy then fine, it’s not my business. But get in the way of my life and my happiness one more time Nick and you better hope either Mother or a higher power will protect you from me.” He slammed the door behind him.

            Rick had called Judy that night, tripping over as many apologies that he could think of. But Judy had assured him it was fine, even said she kind of deserved it after the stunt she had pulled all that time ago. Something had been off about her voice though; it had held such melancholy, and a guilt that made the fox anxious. They had hung up but Rick felt the conversation hadn’t been over.

            It was Wednesday and Rick walked into the school, finishing up Nick’s apology before tossing it into a nearby trash can and heading to class. Nick had been picked up earlier by Finnick, probably wanting to avoid his brother for a while after the blow out. But that was okay, despite Rick’s anger and his frustration with Nick’s emotional issues they were still brothers that loved each other, they’d argue and then forgive each other no matter what.   
What the senior was worried about was Judy. He had to find her and make sure she was really okay. That chance came sooner than he expected.

He was on his way to lunch with some senior friends when he spotted Judy waiting for him at the entrance of the cafeteria. He instantly smiled upon spotting her but the smile slowly faded when he saw her expression. She looked despondent.

 His friends filed into the cafeteria without him, Rick stopping before Judy and offering a comforting smile when she met his eyes. “Hey, everything okay?”

 “Sure…” she spoke, her voice quiet. “I just…I need to talk to you.”

 Rick glanced around before beckoning her farther down an empty hall. When he turned to face her he hurried to speak, “I am really sorry about Nick, I swear it won’t happen again.”

 “That’s not the problem,” Judy replied.

Rick’s brows rose, “There’s a problem?”

 Judy started, apparently not meaning to say that. She took a deep breath, “I like you, Rick.”

 It took the fox a second to process those words and then he broke into a wide grin as his heart sped up, he had finally heard the words he had wanted to hear since the rabbit had smacked him in the nose and he had seen those beautiful violet eyes. “I like you, too.”

 Judy flinched as if the words physically hurt her and Rick’s euphoria was quick-lived. “Judy?”

 She swallowed, and couldn’t meet his eyes. “Not…not like that. I like you, Rick. You’re a really good friend but I can’t…I can’t see you as anything but that, a friend.”

            Rick’s ears pressed back against his skull, he stared at Judy who was looking anywhere but at him. It was odd that just a moment ago his heart had been warm with elation but now, with just a few simple words his heart had dropped to his stomach and his throat was tightening up.

“Did I do something wrong?” he asked, his voice now as quiet as the rabbit’s.

Judy shook her head, “No, you did absolutely nothing wrong.”

And yet she didn’t want him.

“Is there someone else?”  
She shook her head again, her violet eyes on her feet.

“Is it because I’m a fox?” his voice cracked as he dared to ask.

 Judy’s head shot up, her eyes wide with dismay. “No! That has _nothing_ to do with this!”

“Then why?” Rick’s voice rose and he quickly took a breath to calm down. “ _Why_?”

 Judy looked at him with misting eyes, “Rick…when you kissed me, did you feel a spark?”

Rick answered without hesitation, “Yes.”

 Judy looked away. “I didn’t…”  
 It was Rick’s turn to cringe as if her words had stabbed him. “Oh.”

 “I wanted to,” Judy insisted. “I wanted to have my heart skip a beat! I want to want to kiss you again! But I don’t. And you deserve someone who’ll appreciate you more than me.” She took in Rick’s expression and her head lowered, her paws balled into fists to keep from shaking. “I’m so sorry, Rick.” Her eyes glanced up at him and he was pretty positive he saw a tinge of pity and for a moment a thought came to his mind: _She knows, she knows about Dad_. But he didn’t say anything; even if she did it had nothing to do with what was happening right now.

 Rick swallowed, taking in the rabbit’s dejected expression, her fisted paws and trembling shoulders. “I know…” he breathed, and he did. If Judy didn’t feel anything for him than he wouldn’t try to force her, she hadn’t done this on purpose, she hadn’t been stringing him along, she tried. It just wasn’t meant to be. Not that that made the rejection hurt any less.

 “Its fine,” he lied, pulling up a smile.

Judy glanced up at him, her expression saying he wasn’t fooling her in the least.

“It’s fine Judy…really.”

When she didn’t reply he continued on, “But I need to get to lunch; I’m starving.”

 He reached his paw out as if to touch her but then pulled back at the last second as if doing so would burn him. He swallowed and managed to keep his voice steady, “See you later, Binky.”

 He turned around and walked down the hall. Judy didn’t call him back, and as hard as it was, Rick managed not to look back. Both their hearts had been broken during this conversation, but for two completely different reasons.

 

.

 

            Hours later school was over and Rick was in his room with the door firmly shut. He was reading through his anatomy book, trying to keep his mind as far away from anything that remotely reminded him of Judy. It wasn’t working.

 He had liked her so much, she had been different. But he had lost her before he even had her.

 His door opened and he glanced up, expecting his mother who was the only one to ever open the door when it was closed. His heart dropped when he saw his brother, Nick had his back to Rick and was looking at him over his shoulder. He could tell by the look on Nick’s face that he knew what had happened. Judy had probably told Fru Fru which was understandable, and she had probably told Finnick (Rick had been told of the shrew’s crush), and Finnick told Nick.

 “Please don’t start,” Rick told him, his voice tired.

 Nick stepped into the room and turned his body to reveal he was carrying a tray topped with a giant bowl of buttery popcorn and two cans of soda. He stepped up to Rick’s bed and without a word pushed the tray into his brother’s chest, forcing Rick to hold it. Nick then walked over to Rick’s DVD self, picked one up and put it in the senior’s DVD player. He then sat down on the bed next to his brother and picked up the popcorn bowl, eating as the DVD played its trailers.

 Rick was staring at the younger fox, not sure what Nick was doing. And then his brother wrapped his tail around Rick’s and suddenly they were kits again, hiding under the table during a thunder storm and staying up late at night to watch a scary movie…curled up in bed with their mother after their father left and she couldn’t stop crying. The two brothers always wrapped their tails together to remind them that no matter how bad things got they always had, and always would have, each other.

 Rick smiled at his brother tenderly. “Nick…”

“Hm?” his brother asked eyes on the screen as he chewed on his popcorn.

 “Thank you.”

 “For what? Taking advantage of the fact that your TV is better than mine? Yeah, no problem Dick, anytime.”

Rick chuckled and reached over to grab a pawful of popcorn. “What are we watching?”  
 “Teen Wolf Too.”

The older fox’s brows rose, “You like that movie?”

“Never seen it before,” Nick answered, “But Honey told me I look like the actor, Jason Biteman.”

 Rick looked at the star of the film, “Huh. You could be half wolf.”

 Nick humorously howled.

 

 

           

 

           

 


	15. Chapter 15

Judy’s homeroom took their science test the next day and she had passed with flying colors, the fact made her sick and she nearly threw the paper away. She had to remind herself that the main reason she had come to Zootopia was to be successful, make good grades, Rick would understand that. He wouldn’t mind she used the methods he had taught her for the periodic table.

 It didn’t make her feel any less awful.

            Clawhauser and Fru Fru had been sweetly supportive. Completely understanding when Judy had told them what had happened between her and Rick, managing to not cry as she told them. They had both agreed she did the right thing and that it didn’t mean she and Rick couldn’t be friends.

 But after lunch yesterday and all this morning, whenever she spotted Rick she couldn’t manage to call out a greeting or wave, if he saw her he’d just give her this sad look and a small smile. It was as if he was trying to reassure her that the wound wasn’t a big deal as he bled out on the floor.

But Judy had to admit the worst part was the wait. St. Zoo was big but it wasn’t that big and sooner or later her luck would run out. Sooner or later she would run into Nick Wilde, and then one of two things would happen. He’d laugh at her, mockingly thank her for leaving her brother alone to focus on her other ‘conquests’, or he’d be angry and yell at her for breaking his brother’s heart. Maybe even both.

 And Judy couldn’t promise herself she wouldn’t punch him in the face. She felt bad about what happened with their dad. But it didn’t give him the right to make her feel any worse than she already was. She didn’t need anyone to tell her that she had broken his heart.

            “Judy, wait up,” Ben’s voice called out and then her friend was jogging by her side, panting a bit as he did so. “Where are you heading?”

“Volleyball practice,” she answered, “Fru’s already there. Wanna come?”

 “Yeah, I’d love to tell her the good news too,” the cheetah gushed.

“Good news?” she echoed.

 “My mom lifted the ban on donuts at my house!”

“That’s great, Ben,” Judy congratulated him with a smile.

“The only thing is she made me promise her I’d exercise more,” Ben added with a huff. “Think you can help me? I bet you know how to make losing weight fun.”

 “You don’t need to lose any weight,” Judy assured her friend, “Fru and I love you just the way you are; you’re our big furry marshmallow.”

 “Thanks Jude,” Benjamin said gratefully. “But let’s at least jog once in a while to make my mom happy.”

 “You got it,” she replied as they walked into the gym.

            Charlie, Winter and most of the other team members were already in their uniforms and stretching. Judy hurried to the locker room to change while Clawhauser sat next to Fru on the bleachers.

While they waited for their friend to return the gym doors reopened and in came Nick, his paws in his pockets and Finnick following after him. Fru smiled gleefully as she spotted the smaller fox.

 The two friends sat up at the top of the bleachers and relaxed. Finnick pulling out his music almost immediately while Nick pulled out his phone, a bored expression on his face as he scrolled through his favorite social media sites.

 Clawhauser glanced at the two warily then to Fru who was gazing at Finnick with a dreamy look in her eye, though the smaller fox hadn’t noticed her attention. Clawhauser tapped his friend’s shoulder with a chubby finger and the shrew looked up at him. “Don’t you think Nick Wilde being here is a bad thing?” the cheetah asked her. “It’s not like he makes a habit of coming to volleyball practices and now…”

 “Judy’s a big girl she can handle whatever Nick throws at her,” Fru told him. “Besides it’s not like we can make them leave. I mean, you can probably pick them up and throw them out into the hall but it would be very rude.”

Clawhauser nodded and settled back down, Judy _could_ take care of herself he knew. He just had a really bad feeling about the whole thing.

            When Judy walked back into the gym, wearing her uniform, her eyes widened for a moment upon spotting Nick in the bleachers. She quickly turned her head before he would notice her looking at him and hurried to Charlie and the others. The team broke into two groups and started practicing, Judy deciding working up a sweat was exactly what she needed to relieve her stress, if just a little bit. But as she ran and jumped around the gym, tossing the ball across the net to the other players, half of her was still _very_ aware of Nick’s presence. And no doubt he was here because of Rick.

The thought distracted her for a second and she nearly collided with Charlie who jumped back, glancing at the rabbit with a confused/concerned look before bringing her attention back to the game. She heard Nick chuckle, having caught her slip and the rabbit’s ears reddened in embarrassment. Judy forced herself to focus on the game.  

            An hour later Judy pulled her school clothes back on after drying herself off from her shower. The rest of practice had gone off without incident but she was reluctant to leave the locker room. Nick was still out there and all the possibilities of what he had to say was running through her head and her insides twisted into knots.

But eventually Judy took in a breath and decided she wouldn’t spend the rest of her school year avoiding the fox, she’d take what he’d had to say and move on with her life. And _maybe_ she’d manage to not hit him… Maybe.

            With her gym bag thrown over her shoulder Judy walked out of the locker room and scurried across the gym floor to her friends who waited for her, she made sure not to even glance at Nick, he and Finnick still sitting at the top of the bleachers.

 “Hope you guys weren’t too bored,” she told her friends.

“Course not,” Clawhauser replied. “You’re like a little gray blur running around the court. And I’m inspired to jog _today_ actually, maybe even at lunch.”

 Judy and Fru shared a look, the two not convinced that Clawhauser would keep that promise but they didn’t say anything.

            “Oh good we’re leaving,” Finnick’s deep voice spoke up.

The trio turned to see Nick climbing down the bleachers, his expression neutral and his paws reburied in his pockets, Finnick following after him.

 “Hi, Finnick,” Fru called to the smaller fox excitedly.

 The fennec looked momentarily surprised to be addressed by the shrew. “Hey, Fru Fru.”

She giggled adorably.

            Judy straightened her back and met Nick’s eyes, waiting for him to speak.

Nick smirked at her, “Hey, Carrots. It’s felt like ages when we last talked.” He lifted his eyes heavenward, “When was the last time we had a good old chat again?”  
Judy didn’t answer and after a moment Nick’s smile grew, his eyes narrowed mockingly. “Oh, _now_ I remember.”

 Clawhauser stepped closer to Judy, “Leave her alone, Nick.”

“No, it’s fine,” Judy assured her friend. “Let him keep talking.”

 “Oh, _can_ I?” Nick asked excitedly, “Because I’ve had _weeks_ to plan out what I was going to say.”

 Judy crossed her arms and braced herself, “Go on then.”

 “First, let me say thanks,” Nick began. “You have no idea how frustrating it was to see you getting all chummy with my brother, it’s amazing I didn’t vomit to be honest. And now I don’t have to worry about that anymore so _yay_! But at the same time, I also couldn’t help being absolutely livid. I’m pretty protective of my big brother, and even though I warned him about you, I still felt pretty sympathetic for him. I mean, how could I not when he had his heart viscously ripped out and grinded into the dirt?”

 Judy gritted her teeth but didn’t reply, she was just glad she didn’t flinch at the part where she had ‘ripped’ Rick’s heart out.

“Though I do have a question, Fluff.” He leaned down, resting his paws on his knees so he could be at eye level with her. “Finally got what you wanted out of him?”

Judy’s eyes narrowed.

 “I heard he gave you a tutoring session for your science test. I bet you passed.”

She didn’t answer; Ben and Fru exchanged uncomfortable glances.

 “You know, I always assumed you hung out with him for _one_ thing. But you left after only one kiss.” His eyes narrowed, “Just didn’t like the taste of fox?”

“Nick…” Finnick began cautiously, he was looking between his friend and the rabbit, knowing things were only getting worse. “That’s enough, let’s go.”

“I want an answer,” Nick replied, not taking his eyes off Judy.

 Said bunny tried to keep calm, she reminded herself that Nick was angry on the behalf of his brother, tried to remember that Nick had his heart broken by his own father.

But it wasn’t easy when looking into green eyes that were a perfect mixture of hostility and scorn.

“I don’t have to tell you anything,” she answered, her voice low. “What happened was between me and Rick and nobody else.” She looked to Ben and Fru, “Let’s go.”

Her friends’ nodded and started to follow her out of the gym.

            But Nick kept talking: “Run if you want little bunny, that doesn’t erase chapter six.”

 Judy knew she was making the wrong decision when she stopped in her tracks, by her friends’ expressions they knew it too but didn’t try to stop her as she turned around to face the fox. “And what would that be?”

 “What I just said,” Nick replied and as he continued his voice lost its witty edge and turned into a snarl: “You’re a tattle-tailing, crowd pleasing, whining, hopelessly dreaming, hopelessly romantic or at least that’s what I thought, psychotic, dumb bunny whose always in heat and uses her innocent act to fool good guys. But hey, at least you’re _cute_.”

            The gym was deadly silent; Clawhauser’s and Fru Fru’s fur was standing on end as they looked with wide eyes between Judy and Nick.

Finnick looked ready to run.

 Judy released a breath and slipped her gym bag off her shoulder. “Ben.”

The cheetah flinched at being addressed, “Y-yes?”

 Judy offered him the bag, “Could you hold this for me for a minute?”

 “Um…okay.” He took the bag, “Why?”

 Judy turned back to face Nick. “Because I’m giving that fox a ten second head start to run before I break his face with my foot.”

 

.

 

            “How does it look, Leo?” Bellwether asked. She stood atop a ladder that Percy held steady, the sheep was pinning up a banner that had the date for the auditions for the year’s first musical: Zoosies. Bellwether had successfully pinned up one half of the banner and was trying to line up the other side.

 Leodore stood in front of the banner, fixing it with a critical eye. “I think so.”

            But before the sheep could successfully finish pinning up the Zoosies banner there was a loud yell and suddenly around the corner came Nick Wilde, running toward them, his eyes wide with fear. Before they could wonder what had spooked the red fox Judy Hopps appeared, chasing after him with a murderous glint in her eyes.

 Nick rushed past them, accidentally knocking into Percy who still held the ladder, making the rabbit fall and the ladder to wobble, Leodore ran over and managed to catch Bellwether in time. Percy managed to jump up and catch the ladder before it fell onto his friends.

 “Sorry guys!” Nick called, already down the hall, “Can’t stop!”

 “Oh yes you can!” Judy yelled after him as she pursued him. “By all means make my life easier!”

The fox and bunny left the three mammals stared after them before Bellwether let out a gasp and stared at the homemade banner mournfully, it had gotten torn in half during the incident.

            Honey was roaming through her locker for any spare jars of honey when she heard a familiar voice call her name.

She looked over her wide shoulder to see Nick race by her, quickly followed by Judy.

“Honey, save me!” her fox friend screeched.

 The badger quickly shut the door and scurried after them, “I’m coming Nick!” However she knew she wasn’t fast enough to catch up to them, but she could at least put on a show for Nick’s sake.

 The three mammals nearly ran over their classmates and teachers as they made their way through the school building, nearly giving Sven and Charlie heart attacks but Winter laughed joyfully at the sight of a terrified Nick. The fox nearly crashed into Gazelle at one point but Wade managed to pull her back just in time. Flash merely waved at his friend. The trio also knocked down trash bins, a couple of chairs and tables when they ran through the cafeteria, and nearly topped a cart of laptops down as they went. It was around that time that Rick walked out of the computer lab just in time to see his brother getting chased by his former crush and his friend.

 “Oh no,” he moaned before quickly following after, managing to catch up to the now panting badger quite easily.

 “Honey what happened?” he demanded at her as Judy yelled threats at Nick who replied with questions about her mental stability.

“The hell if I know!” she replied, her usual happy mood gone after having to jog through the entirety of St. Zoo. “Your brother wants my help so I’m trying!”

            They eventually made it back to the gym, Nick throwing the doors open to see that Finnick, Clawhauser, and Fru Fru hadn’t moved from their places since the chase began. They watched as he ran to the door labeled _pool_ and burst in, startling the mammals that were having swim class.

The red fox skidded to a halt just before he fell into the pool, a large stitch in his side as he tried to catch his breath. But then Judy was there, colliding into his back with a feral growl and knocking them both into the water. The two splashed and struggled while the rabbit tried to get her paws around his neck. Rick and Honey stormed in, the older fox taking note of the situation before diving into the pool and trying to break the two apart. Honey more daintily slipped into the water and waded over to place a thick paw firmly between Nick and Judy but the two ignored it.

 “Don’t you ever quit!?” Nick demanded as he tried to swat Judy’s furious paws away form him.

 “Do _you_?!” she demanded furiously, trying to struggle out of Rick’s grip who had his paws wrapped around her waist. She was so mad she didn’t even realize this was the first time they had gotten near each other since their falling out.

            “Detention!” a new, older voice, suddenly screeched, rendering the room silent and catching the four’s attention.

They looked up to see the principal, and they could only imagine what they looked like. Judy being held back by Rick, her paw grabbing Nick’s collar while the other was raised as if to scratch at his eyes, Honey’s paw still held between them while glancing around at their audience with a ‘whoops’ grin. And Rick with his expression dawning on the fact that this was not his week.

  The principal’s scowl deepened, “Detention for all of you!”


	16. Chapter 16

The four mammals sat in the office, having been told that their detention would be served tomorrow after school, now they waited with growing dread while the principal called their parents.

Well, three out of the four. Honey was leaning back against her seat and looking ready to take a nap, obviously not bothered in the least about her father learning of her latest escapade.

 She sat next to Nick who sat beside his brother. Said brother had his head buried in his paws as he tried to keep his aggravation at check. He should’ve known not to hope Nick would’ve been mature, even after their movie night.

Nick was leaning back on the two hind legs of his chair, sticking his tongue between his teeth to try and find any remaining traces of the breakfast burger he had eaten that morning.

 Across the room sat Judy who stayed as quiet and as still as a statue.

            “So you’re not worried about them calling your dad?” Nick asked his badger friend. He had met Honey’s father before and found the guy to be pretty freaking intimidating.

Honey shrugged, “Honestly, with some of the stuff I get caught for I think he’ll be relieved. I mean, getting caught up in a love triangle scrap is a normal teen thing, right?”

“I wouldn’t know,” the fox replied, slightly bothered by the badger’s wording, “This wasn’t a love triangle scrap.”

 Rick pulled his face away from his claws and fixed a glare on his brother, “But we all know whose fault this is.”

 Nick looked affronted, “Don’t blame me!”

“ _I blame you_!”  
 “The bunny started it!” Nick pointed at the rabbit who didn’t acknowledge the attention.

“Really?” Rick asked, “ _Really_? Judy started it? Judy Hopps started this? She chased you around the school, nearly running over the student body as she did so, just because she felt like it. You, _Nick Wilde_ , didn’t goad her in the least?”

When Nick didn’t answer the older fox raised his brows to the honey badger who just shrugged helplessly. She had not been there when the chase started.

 “And I might have scolded Judy,” he glanced over at the rabbit. “But she looks like she’s mentally screaming at herself. And it doesn’t look like she’s cutting herself any slack either.”  
 The rabbit was staring at the floor, her face scrunched up in a mixture of misery and anger, her shoulders stiff and her ears droopy.

            The door to the principal’s office opened and the antelope stepped out, giving them all a hard glare, “I called your parents; they’ll be coming to pick you up shortly.”  
 “Sir,” Rick spoke up, “Surely Honey and I can just get off with a light warning; we were trying to stop the other two.”

“Yes and nearly knocked down many of the students and staff as you went, not to mention nearly crashing into and destroying school property.” The principal let out a sigh and his voice was calmer as he spoke again, “I know what you were trying to do Richard, but as a senior and one of the best students here, I would’ve assumed you’d know better. Next time call for a teacher to stop the wild goose chase, don’t join in.”

 Looking at each student in turn he turned back and disappeared inside his office.

 “I don’t like him,” Nick replied, more to himself than the others.

            A few moments later Finnick, along with Fru Fru and Clawhauser, rushed in, Finnick hurrying over to Nick and Honey while the other two scurried to Judy’s side.

 “Are you okay, Judes?” Ben asked, sitting on the seat next to the rabbit, Fru standing on his shoulder and looking at her friend with concern.

“My parents are going to kill me,” Judy spoke, her voice thick. “Or worse, they’re going to make me go back to the Burrows!”

 “They can’t!” the shrew moaned, “It’s just one little detention, we all make mistakes, they’ll understand.”

 Judy nodded but didn’t look like she held much hope.

            Meanwhile Finnick was looking between Nick and Honey, looking as disappointed as a parent, which threw all three of them off since that was usually Honey’s job.

 “Finnick, you’ll be honest with me,” Rick spoke to the fennec fox. “What did Nick do to make Judy chase him?”

 “He said a lot of things,” the smaller fox replied. “But the point he was trying to get across was that she was a, to not be crude, _floozy_ who used her body to get favors.”

 Rick turned to his brother, “ _Really_?”

 Nick wisely didn’t respond.

            The sound of stomping footsteps had the small group turning to the door to see a large honey badger step in, looking like he came straight out of a vicious biker gang. Nick and Finnick swallowed, Judy, Fru, Ben, and Rick stared, while Honey beamed.

 “Hi, Dad!” she stood up and walked over to the larger badger, hugging him. He cast his daughter a surprisingly tender look. “I heard you got in trouble for doing normal teen stuff, Honey pie.”

 Honey gave a small nod and her father grinned, showing a few of his teeth were gold. “I didn’t think I’d live to see the day where my daughter got in trouble and it didn’t involve spy equipment, flammable chemicals, or whacked-out conspiracies.”

“But I _did_ get detention, Dad,” Honey reminded him.

 Her father waved it off, “You can handle one day of detention; it builds character. Now come on, let’s go before this normal teenage behavior wears out. While we’re driving home you can even complain about how you had plans tomorrow after school or give me a moody teenage silence.”

            The two honey badgers left without further ado, only to be immediately replaced by a pair of rabbits.

Weiss and Herbert walked over to their niece, forcing Ben and Fru to give her swift goodbyes and depart. The two rabbits looked at Judy with concern, not sure what to say.

 “The principal said you lost your temper and attacked another student, and now you have detention,” Herbert spoke, his voice low. There was no anger in his voice, just confusion.

Judy nodded, not looking at her relatives or Nick, she regretted such a decision; she hadn’t even gotten a good hit in before Nick had dashed.

 “We told your parents,” Weiss admitted with some reluctance. “You’ll have to call them when we get home.”  
 Judy nodded, wanting to hurry and get that conversation out of the way, unable to handle the fear that her parents would make her come back to the farm. She couldn’t go back now! Sure she had made mistakes and made some enemies but she also made great friends and was learning so much, she was on the volleyball team and had hoped to audition to the musical she had heard about.

She forced herself to stand and with her ears still droopy, followed her aunt and uncle out of the office, not glancing at Nick or Rick as she left.

            “Poor Judy,” Rick breathed, pity tore at his chest.

 “Poor Judy?” Nick repeated in disbelief, “What about poor _us_? Besides why do you care if she’s upset? You two broke it off, didn’t you?”

 “Yeah, we did,” Rick replied. “So why are _you_ still obsessed with bothering her?”

Before Nick could reply Finnick spoke up, “Listen I’m gonna go ahead and go. I don’t feel like being a witness to your arguments _or_ to what Amelia will do to you when she gets here. See you tomorrow.” With a casual wave the fennec fox left.

            The two brothers sat in silence for exactly thirty seconds before the door reopened and in stormed Amelia Wilde. Her green eyes were stormy as she glared down at her sons who both tried to disappear into their seats.

She pointed to the door, “Car. Now.”

 She stayed terrifyingly quiet as her kits followed her out of her office, they passed the gym where Nick retrieved his back pack that he had been forced to abandon before the chase and then made their way to the parking lot.

            Amelia railed into them as soon as they had their seat belts on. “ _What_ could you two have possibly done to get detention for running in the halls?”

 

.

 

            “I admit I wasn’t always the best mother,” the vixen continued the rant as they walked of the elevator and onto their apartment’s floor. “I had you both when I was too young and just went with the flow. Should I have picked up more books on raising kits? Probably. But I was always sure I told you two to keep your noses clean. Now Nick is insulting a rabbit to the point she tried to kill him. And you Rick you’re trying to fix everything by yourself because you refuse help. And I’m reading my adult novels and trying to master that blueberry pie recipe but keep burning it and I can’t find the next edition to my Full Moon series and just yesterday I tripped and nearly brought down all of aisle three with me-” Amelia stopped with one paw on the door handle, she looked confused for a moment before glancing at her sons. “Where was I going with this? I had a point.”

“We love you, Mom,” the brothers spoke in unison.

 Amelia took a breath, “I love you too; now go to bed and when you’re in detention tomorrow think over the choices you’ve made.”

            The two brothers headed down the hallway of the apartment. “You better not say anything to Judy tomorrow,” Rick growled at his younger brother. “That’s what got us into this to begin with.”

“I make no promises,” Nick growled back, looking to be just as annoyed as his brother. He shut his door behind him and Rick snorted before retiring to his own room.

 Once there Rick called Honey, she answered on the second ring, “Talk to the Honey?”

“Hey it’s Rick, I have a plan for tomorrow and I’m going to need your help.”

 

.

 

            The next day flew by excruciatingly fast and before the four even knew it they were in the library (which was exactly quite nice, one of the largest rooms with two floors, comfy reading areas and of course, books of all sorts), each sitting at their own tables while the rest of their classmates either left home or traveled to the field for football practice.

However the four did have an extra member to their detention group: Flash.

            “What are you in for?” Nick asked his friend from across a desk. The fox had his feet propped up on the table, calves crossed and paws behind his head, leaning back against the chair.

“Multiple…tardies…” Flash replied, he was dutifully writing something on a sheet of paper. Nick didn’t have the patience to figure out what his friend was writing.

 Judy had her face buried in her arms, once in a while making agonizing noises. Rick glanced at her in pity before turning back to the book he had brought, turning the page. Meanwhile Honey looked around the library, waiting for Rick’s signal.

            That signal came three minutes later.

Nick growled under his breath and turned to glance across the room at Judy, “Would you stop moaning like that? You’re not the only one who didn’t want to be here!”

Judy lifted her head to glare at the fox, “Yeah, but the difference is I’m going to make something out of myself. So having such things as detention on my high school record actually affects me.”

 “Make something out of yourself?” Nick echoed with a curled lip. “Like what, a-”

 “Honey!” Rick suddenly yelled, standing up abruptly and startling his brother.

The badger jumped to her feet and hurried over to Nick’s side, grabbing the fox’s shoulders.

 “Honey…?” Nick began slowly, his voice wary bordering on frightened.

 Rick walked over to Judy who tensed up as he approached. He gave the rabbit a sympathetic look, “Sorry.”

 And then he grabbed her and held her over his shoulder, “Come on, Honey.”

 Together they carried the two, kicking and yelling (“Rick, what are you _doing_?!” “Honey put me down _right now_!”), to a closet where they proceeded to push the two inside before Rick slammed it closed and Honey propped a chair under the door knob, sealing it shut.

 “What the _hell_!?” Nick’s voice screamed from the other side of the door where he tried to kick it open. “Open this door!”

 “This is for your own good,” Rick told him through the door, “For both of you.”  
 “Rick, no!” Judy banged her paws on the door. “Please don’t do this!”

 “Sorry,” he apologized and pushed Honey away as they walked back to the desks. Flash had watched the scene with amusement and curiosity.

 “This is so illegal!” Nick’s voice called from the closet. “This is like, hostage-level illegal!”

 Rick met Honey’s eyes, “By no means do you open that door until the hour is over, no matter what either of them says, okay?”

Honey nodded, giving him a thumb up, “You got it, Captain… But what do we do now?”

 “Do whatever you wish,” Rick replied, turning and walking deeper into the library. “I’m going to find a place to nap.”

 When Rick was no longer in sight the badger turned around and looked to Flash, she pulled out a plastic bag of brownies. “Wanna get wrecked?”

“…Sure…”

 

.

 

            “Illegal…” Nick moaned, half-heartedly hitting the door one more time before leaning his head against it. “Illegal…”

“They’re not going to open that door,” Judy said bitterly, leaning on the closet wall across from him, her arms crossed.

The closet was bare except for a mop, two small trash bins, and a dust pan.

Nick glanced over his shoulder, his green eyes hostile. “I got that, yes. I lived with my brother for seventeen years and not once has he ever locked me up in the closet before. You brought out the worst of him when you broke his heart.”

 Judy flinched and looked away. She had no idea what Rick had been thinking, doing this; it wasn’t going to end well.

 “Aren’t you going to say something?” Nick growled at her his eyes turning back to the door. “Or even attack me again? Denying what you did? I bet-”

 “STOP IT!” Judy suddenly yelled, “… _please_ …”

 Her voice cracked and Nick turned around, his eyes widening when he saw the rabbit was crying.

            Judy sniveled and rubbed furiously at her eyes but when the tears didn’t stop she gave up, sitting down on the cold floor and hugging her knees to her chest, burying her head in her arms.

“I know what I did. I know I hurt Rick. I really didn’t want to but I couldn’t pretend I was in love with him, that would be worse I know it. But that doesn’t matter does it? I still hurt him and you’ll never let me forget it will you?” She took in a shuddering breath, “Not that it matters, my parents say if something like that happens again I’ll have to go back to Bunnyburrow and knowing my luck that’ll happen tomorrow.” She forced her head up and Nick flinched when he saw the tears pooling in her violet eyes. “We’ve been fighting since the day we met, and I still have no idea what I did to make you hate me.”

  _Hate her_? Nick didn’t hate her; he was surprised to realize that was true. There was just something about her that rubbed his fur the wrong way, seeing her with Rick made his insides twist and he wasn’t sure if it was because of his father…or Sue. It was like there was a completely different reason he couldn’t place.

“I don’t hate you,” he mumbled, unable to stop himself from sounding grouchy.

Judy let out a disbelieving chuckle, “If this is how you treat your friends then may God have mercy on your enemies.”

 Nick glanced away, looking around the small closet as an uncomfortable feeling welled up in his throat. With horror he realized it was guilt. He needed to get away from this bunny ASAP.

 His eyes landed at the top of the right wall, “Carrots, how big do you think the school’s vents are?”

 Her brow knitted, “What?”

 He pointed to the inhalation vent at the top of the wall, “Think we could climb through that?”

 She shrugged, “I don’t know. But are you seriously going to try? Climbing through vents only happens in movies.”

“Yeah, and so does getting locked in closets by your friends. Do you really want to spend an hour in a cramped space with _me_?”

Judy rose to her feet, “How do we get up there?”

 “You go first and then you help me up,” Nick explained, hoping the rabbit wouldn’t abandon him once she was up there.

 “Okay,” she agreed, staring up at the vent that was high above their heads. “How do we do that?”

 “Brace yourself,” Nick warned her.

“Brace my-AH!” She yelped as Nick picked her up by her waist and lifted her up.

“Quit struggling before I drop you,” the fox growled as Judy’s swinging feet nearly kicked him in the snout. “Can you reach the vent?”

 Judy managed to grab the vent’s grate, she was able to unscrew the old bolts (from how empty and dusty the closet was the two mammals figured it wasn’t well-maintained), and opened the grate, dropping it to the floor where it nearly smacked Nick’s tail. All the while the fox tried to ignore the fact Judy’s shirt had rose up a sliver so he could feel how soft her fur was.

 Judy climbed into the vent, using Nick’s face as leverage and crawled inside. She managed to turn around and poke her head out of the vent, “It’ll be a tight squeeze but I think it’ll work.” She stretched her paws out to him.

Nick looked at her skeptically, “Are you sure you can pull me up?”

“I’m stronger than I look.”

 Nick was still doubtful but stretched his paws out to grasp her own; her paws were just as soft as her fur and fit perfectly in his own. And then those dainty paws pulled him up, Nick trying to kick up the wall for leverage and then grabbed the edge of the vent, Judy crawling back so he could climb in.

            The bunny was right about it being a tight squeeze; he and Judy were practically nose to nose once he had climbed all the way in. Nick could feel her warm breath on his face but either Judy didn’t notice the close quarters or didn’t care because she didn’t react.

 She looked over her shoulder at the dark abyss of the vent. “Foxes can see in the dark, right?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he answered.

Judy scooted to the right and indicated forward, “Then you can go first.”

 Nick snorted and crawled forward, his shoulder bumping into Judy’s as he went and his tail sliding across her leg. He didn’t notice the rabbit shiver, even though it wasn’t cold in the vent.

 The small size of the vent nearly made Nick claustrophobic, but he had gotten out of tight spots before, though more figuratively then literally. He wouldn’t admit it out loud but not being alone in the vent did helped keep him calm as he navigated his way through the ceiling of St. Zoo. Well, he hardly would call it navigating, there was only one chute. That is until a few seconds later where the path broke into two and Nick pulled to a halt, Judy stepped on his tail and pulled back when she heard the fox yelp in pain.

 “Sorry,” she mumbled, her voice echoing. “Why’d you stop?”

 “I can’t decide whether to go left or right,” Nick told her.

 His fur stood on end as he felt Judy crawl under him, stopping just under his chin. Her ears perked up, caging his face and he swallowed. Her ears were so velvety and being this close he could feel her body heat and WHY WAS IT SO DISTRACTING!?!

 “Let’s head right,” Judy spoke up.

 “Why?” he asked, looking down at her.

 She shrugged, “Why not? You got a better plan?”

 Nick went right, Judy following after. They crawled in silence, Nick wanting to hurry and find a way out and get away from this rabbit.

 “Nick wait,” Judy suddenly spoke up. The fox kept crawling.

“Nick!”

 He forced himself to stop. “ _What_?”

He looked over his shoulder to see the rabbit’s ears twitching, “I think we’re above the gym, I can hear the pool filter.”

 “That’s nice,” he replied, not sure where she was going with this.

Judy crawled forward, once again sliding past him so he could feel how soft her fur was. Was the bunny doing it on purpose? She stopped a few feet farther, “Here’s a grate.”

Nick followed after her and sure enough, they stood over a grate, down below he could make out the dim pool room, they were right above said pool.

            And then Nick heard a strange grinding noise.

“Uh, Nick,” Judy spoke up, apparently having heard the noise as well. “When do you think was the last time this school fixed up these grates-” Her voice ending in a yelp as suddenly the grate tore open and the two were falling into the air to flop into the pool with loud splashes.

 Nick broke the surface first, taking in a breath as his stomach burned from the belly flop. He looked around, Judy had not risen, he was about to call out her name when she popped up just behind him, startling him.

 Judy stared up at the ceiling where the grate hung by only one edge, she swallowed. “How are we going to fix that?”

 “Fix that?” Nick echoed, swimming to the pool’s ladder. “Who said anything about fixing it? We tell no one we were ever here!”

Judy swam after him and the two crawled out of the pool, Nick shaking water out of his fur and spraying Judy as he did so, the rabbit let out an annoyed noise but otherwise didn’t say anything.

 They found a couple of abandoned towels and dried up the best they could before leaving the gym and heading back to the library. Judy because it was technically the right thing to do, Nick because he had some words to share with his brother and Honey.

            They entered the library to find their friends had vanished. They exchanged confused glances.

“Detention’s not over yet,” Judy said, walking farther into the library. “Where did they go?”

She got her answer when they went to the library’s little reading corner that consisted of comfy plush couches and chairs. Occupying the furniture was Honey and Flash. The badger was laughing uproariously and Flash was grinning like an idiot.

 “You two okay?” Nick asked, startling the two.

“Dude!” Honey laughed, standing up and wobbling over to her friend, “I missed you!”

 She leaned her head against Nick’s shoulder nearly knocking the fox down as he spoke, “Are you baked?”

 “Like a cake,” the badger giggled.

Flash stood up and walked over to them. “Hey, Nick, how’d you get out of that closet? I thought Rick and Honey locked you two in the closet.”

 Nick nearly screamed as he stared at the sloth in horror, “Flash…did you just talk? Like, at the usual non-sloth speed?”

 When the sloth nodded Nick still looked terrified, “How?”

“Honey and I ate some brownies, I don’t know what ingredients she used but they tasted _amazing_.”

Judy covered her mouth to keep from laughing, between Flash’s talking and Nick’s expression it was almost too much. But she managed to collect herself and ask, “Where’s Rick?”

 Flash pointed up to the second floor of the library, Judy and Nick squinted and managed to make out the older Wilde brother, sprawled out on a different couch and sleeping.

            “Well, glad all of you had fun because we certainly didn’t,” Nick told his friends, making Honey sit back down on the chair. “You two just hide out here until the brownies wear off.”

 Nick walked back to the front of the library and to his surprise Judy followed.

“What?” she asked when he gave her a weird look. “I have nothing against Honey and Flash but I’m not going to sit with them while they’re stoned out of their minds.”

Before Nick could reply the library doors opened and much to the two’s surprise Bogo stepped in, wearing his football uniform from his practice.

 Nick glanced at the clock on the wall; practice shouldn’t have been over yet. But then he flinched when he saw the murderous look in the cape buffalo’s eyes.

“I have a bone to pick with you, Wilde,” Bogo snarled.


	17. Chapter 17

“I haven’t even done anything today!” Nick nearly screamed to the ceiling.

But Bogo’s scowl remained, “You stole my trophy.”

Nick stared at him, glanced at Judy as if to make sure she had heard the same thing, and then turned his eyes back to the buffalo. “Come again?”

“I just came inside during break and passed the trophy case only to see my state football trophy is missing.”  
 “And that’s very sad,” Nick replied, no sympathy in his voice. “But what makes you think I stole it?”

 He lifted his hoof to show he was holding a red iPaw, a piece of tape stuck on the back that said ‘Nick’ in scratchy scrawl. The fox stared at it in shock and Judy could tell he had no idea how it got there.

 “I lost that thing yesterday,” he explained, snatching it out of Bogo’s hoof. “Where’d you find it?”

 “Right next to the case with my missing trophy,” the buffalo growled.

Nick swallowed his eyes widening, “Come on, Bogo. You don’t really believe I’m stupid enough to leave my iPaw at the scene of the crime.”

By the jock’s expression, that’s exactly what he thought.

“I didn’t do it!” Nick snarled in exasperation.

“Then who would’ve left _your_ iPaw there?”

 “I don’t know,” Nick admitted, “It was in there before detention started and that’s where I’ve been for the past hour!”

 “Really?” he asked sardonically, taking in his still damp fur, “Looks to me like you’ve been swimming.”  
 Nick was getting more desperate by the moment and he struggled to find the words that would make Bogo believe him. And then Judy stepped forward, “He didn’t take it, I’ve been with him the whole time.”

The fox’s spluttering stopped and he looked down at the rabbit in shock. Bogo fixed his glare on the rabbit who refused to be cowed by the immense mammal.

“And what makes your word law?” he asked her.

“Well if you’ve heard of me you know that I can’t stand Nicholas Wilde and wouldn’t lie for him. Plus I’ve hung out with his older brother, Richard; do you really think _he’d_ have been friends with me if I was a sneaky liar?”

When the buffalo still looked unimpressed Judy kept talking, only this time she didn’t think about what came out of her mouth: “I’ll find it.”

“Huh?” both males asked in unison.

 “I’ll find your trophy,” Judy promised him. “And then I’ll bring it to you the moment I find it and prove to you Nick didn’t do it.”

 The buffalo snorted in disbelief but his eyes told Judy that he was intrigued, “You really think a little bunny like yourself can solve this mystery?”  
 “Yes, as long as you don’t bring any teachers into this.”

“Think you’ll be able to find it before Monday?” Bogo asked.

“Nick and I can find it by the end of the night,” Judy declared.

 “ _Nick and I_ ,” the fox echoed but was ignored.

 Bogo smirked at her, he didn’t believe a word the bunny said but he was amused nonetheless. “Alright, but if you don’t give me my trophy until then I’ll get this fox suspended.” With a final glare at Nick he turned around and left the library.

 Nick stared at her, “Why’d you do that?”

“Did you _want_ to be punished for something you didn’t do?” Judy asked him.

“Well, no, but…you didn’t have to try and fix it for me,” Nick replied, sounding uncomfortable.  
Judy placed her paw over her heart and made a mockingly shocked expression, “Geez, it’s almost like I’m a nice girl.”

  Nick rolled his eyes, “Hardy har… Are we _really_ going to solve a mystery tonight?”

“Oh, indubitably.”

 

.

 

            An hour later the five were released from detention. Honey and Flash, who were behaving like normal again (or well, more normal than earlier) headed home. Rick headed outside and Nick made to follow him but Judy grabbed his arm, stopping him and making the fox flinch. Judy quickly released him, giving him a weird look but even Nick had no idea why he had recoiled like that.

 “We need to check out the trophy case,” she told him and hurried down the hallway, it took Nick a few moments before he finally decided to follow after her. Rick watched them go with surprise but didn’t say anything.

 The glass case was open; the largest trophy that had been stolen left a bare area amongst the smaller trophies and medals, and the case had been left open, if it had been staff wanting to polish the trophy they wouldn’t have left it open like that-or left any of the other trophies. Judy stuck her head in and looked around, her eyes squinting. Nick stood back, paws in his pockets, his eyes trailing between the rabbit’s ears and her fluffy looking tail. He growled angrily, the noise low in his throat but Judy still managed to hear it, she looked over her shoulder at him in surprise.  
 “What are you doing?” he demanded, refusing to acknowledge the noise he had just made.

 “Clues, duh,” she replied. “Haven’t you ever watched _The Great Mouse Detective_?”

Nick rolled his eyes, “Funny.”

 A few moments later Judy let out a triumphant ‘ah-ha’ and picked up something off the shelf. She walked over to Nick and held up a strand of brown hair.

“That’s definitely not yours,” Judy replied. “Got any idea what kind of animal it is?”

Nick leaned forward and sniffed at the strand, his eyes bulged and he jumped back, covering his snout with both paws. “Yax, that’s definitely Yax.”

Judy chuckled at his expression, “You mean the yak who never wears a shirt no matter what the teachers say?”

“Yep,” Nick replied. “But Yax wouldn’t steal a trophy.”  
 “But his hair is here anyway,” Judy replied, “It wouldn’t hurt to go to his house and ask him if he knows anything.”

 Nick looked at her, oh she had no idea how bad of an idea that was. But he totally wasn’t going to tell her that.

 

.

 

            Judy hurried home to grab everything she thought she’d need on this mystery and threw it all in her bag. With big, imploring eyes she told her aunt and uncle she was on a quest for the greater good, the two rabbits relented with surprising ease and Judy dashed out and ran to Nick’s apartment.

There the fox was packing all the things _he_ thought he would need for the night before summoning up all the charm he mustered to tell his mother he was going out right after detention. To his surprise he didn’t need to. Rick asked Amelia out for a mother and eldest son movie night and told her to let Nick go and hang out with his friends, leaving him free to solve the mystery. It wasn’t until Nick walked out of the apartment building that he realized his brother was doing this in the hopes that Judy and Nick would become friends. He wanted to gag at the thought but was despondent to realize he couldn’t.

            Judy was waiting for him outside, slightly surprising him but he should’ve expected it, the rabbit was hopping in place and looking excited to solve the mystery.

“Ready to go?” she asked him.

“Almost,” he answered, placing his paw in his pack to pull out a pair of aviators that he placed on, smirking smugly as he did so.

“It’s dark,” Judy told him, frowning at the pair of shades.

“I know,” Nick replied, “This isn’t for the sun. It’s for matching the mood.”

She rolled her eyes then just like that was back to hopping in place.

“Let’s go, let’s go, onward to Yax’s.” She turned and jogged down the street only to stop and hurry back to his side, “I don’t know where he lives.”

 

.

 

            Judy and Nick stood before Yax’s house, the rabbit raising her paw to knock on the door. Nick kept his eyes on Judy, maybe it was morally wrong to not tell her what was about to happen…but it was hard to pass up decent comedy these days.

The door open and Judy spoke: “Hey Yax, I wanted to ask y-Oooh you are naked!”

Judy whirled around, paws covering her eyes as their classmate stood before them, letting it all hang out. Nick covered his mouth to hide his smile but still couldn’t help a snicker escaping.

 “Oh hey guys, what’s up?” Yax asked them as if it was any day in the halls of The Zoo.

“We wanted to ask you some questions,” Rick answered then smirked at Judy. “Right, Carrots?”

 She glared at the fox before taking a breath and turning around, her eyes skyward. “Um…one of Bogo’s trophies has gone missing. Your hair was found at the scene of the crime.”

 “Stolen, eh? Boy that’s a shame,” the yak shook his head and clicked his tongue. He apparently hadn’t registered the latter sentence.

Judy tried to clarify, “Yax, we found a piece of your fur in the trophy case. Were you messing around in there?”

 “How could I do that, I don’t have a key,” Yax answered.

Nick frowned, he figured that much but then how _did_ Yax’s hair get in the case.

            “Who’s there?” a new voice asked.

Judy and Nick glanced inside to see two older yaks, Yax’s parents, sitting on the floor, completely nude, with their legs crossed as soothing music played throughout the house. Judy sucked in a breath and looked back up at the sky again, muttering unintelligibly as she did so.

 “It’s Nick and Judy,” Yax called to them. “They’re trying to find a missing trophy.”

“Tell them to find your missing jacket while they’re at it,” his dad called.

Judy’s ears pricked but she didn’t look at them. “Your jacket? Have you worn this jacket before?”

“Yep.”

“So some of your hair could be on said jacket?”

“Yep. But it’s not missing, I let Flash borrow it. He was going on a date with Priscilla and didn’t want to go all the way home to get one.”

 Judy and Nick shared a look before the rabbit forced her eyes on the yak. “Thanks, Yax. We need to get going now.”

 “Don’t send them away,” Yax’s mother called. “Ask them if they want to join our naturalist yoga session.”

 “ _NO_ ,” Nick and Judy said in panicked unison.

 “No thank you,” Judy clarified with an uneasy smile, taking a step back.

“We have a missing trophy to find and you know, time is money,” said Nick.

“Bye.” The two ran.

 

.

 

            “Flash definitely didn’t steal that trophy,” Nick stated the obvious as they walked down the street.

“I know,” Judy replied. “But it’s the only lead we have at the moment.”

A few minutes later they reached Flash’s house, Nick walking in without knocking. “He’s my friend I come here all the time,” Nick told Judy after catching the rabbit’s affronted look and her unwillingness to cross the threshold.

Her eyes narrowed but she follow him inside, going down a hall and stopping at a door. Once again Nick didn’t knock, opening the door without warning, only this time he quickly shut it a second later. He glanced down at Judy whose ears were red and her eyes were glaring up at Nick.

 Flash was in his room making out with Priscilla.

 Nick shrugged helplessly at the rabbit, “I said I come here all the time I didn’t say I could see through walls.”

 Judy buried her face in her paws just as Flash’s voice spoke up, “Who…is it?”

Nick cleared his throat, “It’s Nick, buddy. Sorry to bother you but its kind of urgent.”

Several minutes later Flash’s voice spoke again, “Be…right…there.” 

            Even more minutes later Flash invited the two inside where Judy sat beside Priscilla and Nick made himself comfortable at his friend’s desk, explaining their predicament and what Yax had told them.

 “I…did not…take...”

Judy interrupted, “The trophy, yes we know so-”

“Bogo’s….state….”

“Trophy,” Judy repeated, her voice taking on a tinge of annoyance. “We know, so-”

“…Trophy…”

 Judy sent Nick a look and the fox smirked before speaking up. “We know buddy, we were wondering if we could see the jacket Yax let you borrow?”

The sloth slowly glanced away, his eyes guilty. “It got…stolen…”

“Where?” the fox asked.

 “I let…Priscilla….borrow it…for her…book club…and someone…took it…I…do not…know…who.”

 “Which means we’re back to square one,” Judy huffed, crossing her arms and glaring at the floor, her face thoughtful. Nick watched her think, taking note of the way her nose twitched. Nick quickly turned his attention to a poster on the wall of a famous track star.

Judy’s ears suddenly shot up as an idea came to her. “I’m so stupid! Why didn’t we try to figure out who would have keys to the trophy case? Maybe a janitor took the trophy to clean it? It’s possible they could’ve just forgotten to close the case and didn’t have the time to return the trophy.”

 “Maybe…” Nick said doubtfully. “It’s the best plan we have at the moment.”  
 “But how do we figure out what janitor was working today?” Judy asked.

 “I can…help,” Flash offered. “My mom…is…a…secretary…there.”

  By Judy’s surprised frown Nick could tell the rabbit had no idea that the two sloths were related, she and Nick followed Flash and Priscilla out of the hallway. The sloths were holding claws and Nick rolled his eyes. He didn’t _dislike_ Priscilla but her and Flash’s constant lovey-dovey act was enough to make anyone nauseous. But for some reason Nick remembered how Judy’s paws had fit in his own and he quickly shook his head (making said rabbit cast him a weird look).

 Flash had led them into his mother’s office room (Mrs. Slothmore had gone out with her husband to grocery shop that morning and hadn’t made it back yet). Nick and Judy watched as Flash pulled up a school list that had the work schedule for the school’s janitors, they were the only ones who would have remained after school hours except for the coaches who were down at the field and principal who had been in his office. The only janitor working that part of the school today had been a jaguar by the name of Mr. Manchas who lived in Tundra Town.

 “A jaguar that lives in Tundra Town?” Judy said with confusion. “Why not the Rainforest District?”

 “He’s just a part time janitor,” Nick said, staring at the picture of the jaguar with dread. “He’s also a driver for Fru Fru’s father.”

 “Oh?” Judy smiled, “Then we can go over to her house…Nick, you okay?”

 

.

 

            “You sold him a _what_?!”

The two were making their way to the subway where they would hitch a ride to Tundra Town and talk to the Mr. Manchas. It was during this walk that the fox admitted to Judy that he already was acquainted with Fru’s father.

Nick pulled at his collar and glanced away, his aviators hiding his eyes from her. “I sold him a rug…it was a very nice rug.”

“But remind me again,” Judy gritted through her teeth, her voice tight. “ _What_ was it made of?”

“Skunk’s fur…”  
 “What part of the skunk, Nicholas?”

“…I don’t need to repeat myself-”

“ _You sold a rug made from the fur of a skunk’s butt_!” Judy seethed, flailing her paws around, “How…Why…Where do I even begin with that?”

“Now’s not the time to worry about the past,” Nick told her as they climbed down the steps that led to the subway station. “We need to worry about the fact that Fru’s dad is going to skin me if he sees me again. So how about this? You go and interrogate Manchas and I’ll go home.”

 “Oh no you don’t,” Judy growled as they waited for the next train, “This is your mystery. I’m just helping you out of the good of my heart.”

 Nick snorted but decided not to comment on that, his ears twitching as he heard the subway arriving. It stopped before them; several mammals stepped out of it. When the crowd dispersed the two walked into the relatively empty car.

 Judy made herself comfortable on one seat, placing the pack beside her and pulling out a notepad and started to scribble away on it. Nick imagined she was planning out further ways to solve this case.

 He glanced around the car and with a shrug sat a seat away from Judy. He didn’t want to sit right next to her but he suppose it wasn’t necessary to sit far away from her either.

The car shook as the train started up and then the station vanished as the windows showed the gray cement tunnel. Only a minute or so of travel later and Judy’s phone rang, startling the rabbit who quickly placed her note pad back in her pack and pulled out her phone. Her eyes widened when she spotted the ID on the screen but then she took a breath and pulled out a cheerful smile before answering the FaceTime.

            “Judy!” a female’s voice blasted from the phone, making Nick jump.  
 “Hi Mom, hi Dad,” Judy greeted her parents, her smile strained.

 “Are you on the subway?” a male voice spoke up that must’ve been Mr. Hopps. “Are you coming home?”

 “No, Dad,” Judy sighed, “I’m just helping someone out.”

 “Helping someone?” her mother echoed. Then both rabbits let out yelps of fright as Nick leaned across the seat to look down at the phone, his cheek pressed up against Judy’s who glared at him.

 “Judy, that-that’s a fox,” her father gasped his wide eyes on Nick. “Do you have that fox taser I sent you?”

Nick glanced at the freshman. “You have a fox taser?”

 Judy sighed, “No, Dad. I don’t need the fox taser for this specific fox.” She sent Nick a look that said she could subdue him with out the help of a taser. But her father didn’t see it that way.

 “Sweet cheese and crackers, Bonnie he’s her boyfriend,” Mr. Hopps whispered loudly to his wife. Judy’s ears reddened.

 “And with that I am ejecting myself out of this conversation,” Nick decided aloud. “Nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Hopps.”

He returned to his seat and leaned back as Judy continued talking to her parents: “So you’re helping this fox, Bun Bun?”

Nick bit his lip to keep from laughing. He was definitely using that nickname in the near future.

“Yes, Mom,” she answered. “There’s been a misunderstanding and I’ve helping it get cleared up.”

Her father spoke in a slightly annoyed tone, “I don’t know about you being up this late in the big city, Judy. It’s not safe. Plus we’re still a little peeved about you getting detention.”

Judy’s ears drooped, “I know, Dad. But shouldn’t I grow as a bunny and not just as a student while I’m here? Use my smarts to help other animals.”

Her parents started to sway because of those words and after a few more moments she managed to tell them goodbye and hung up. Though Nick noticed she never corrected her father on her dating status.

 Placing her phone back in her pocket Judy let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against her own seat, her shoulders drooping tiredly and her eyes closing.

 Nick reached into his own pack and pulled out a sucker, unwrapping it and sticking it into his mouth, grinding his teeth against the blue surface loudly.

Judy’s eyes opened and she gave the fox a weird look. Nick lifted a finger and used his other paw to reach back into his pack and pulled out another sucker, offering it to Judy. The rabbit shrugged and took it, but the moment she placed it in his mouth her eyes widened and she pulled the piece of candy out. “This tastes amazing!”

 Nick grinned cheekily around the sweet, “Its blueberry flavored, the best flavor of anything ever.”

 “Of _anything_?” Judy asked, sticking the sucker back into her mouth.

Nick nodded, “Anything.”

 “So you’d eat blueberry pizza?”

“Oh, indubitably,” he replied and to both of their surprises Judy giggled. It was the first time Nick had ever managed to make her laugh (though the only time he had _tried_ to make her laugh was when he got sloshed at that party).

            The subway skidded to a stop on the rails and the doors slid open, the two climbed out and made their way up the stairs of the station and were greeted with the cold air of Tundra Town.

The snow crunched under their feet as they walked through the town, passing caribou, artic foxes, reindeer, and polar bears as Nick led them toward Mr. Big’s home. Judy admitted her excitement as she hadn’t managed to visit her friend’s home yet.

 “Really?” Nick asked, turning on his heel to walk backwards and keep his eyes on the rabbit. “You’ve been in Zootopia for over a month now and you haven’t made the time?”

She shrugged helplessly, “I always had a busy schedule. Studying, volleyball practice, and I plan on auditioning for Zoosies.”

Nick gave her a pointed look, “Weren’t too busy to go on a date with Rick.”

 Judy scowled at him, “Are you really about to start that up again? Now, when I’m helping you clear your name by going to visit a mafia boss who probably has you on his hit list?”

 “Right, right,” Nick nodded. Even he agreed this wasn’t an opportune time for teasing. “I’ll keep my mouth shut… _Bun Bun_.”

 Judy scowled and looked ready to give a scathing retort when her eyes went past him and her face quickly morphed from anger to fright. “Nick, move!”

 The fox looked to his left to realize he had walked right onto a road, and a truck was speeding toward him. With a frantic yelp Nick jumped off the road, barely avoiding having his tail grazed by the vehicle. But the moment Nick landed the snow sunk under his feet and realized too late he was at the edge of a hill, he slipped and rolled down the mound, snow clumping his red fur before he skidded to a halt at the bottom of the knoll. His heart beat frantically as he caught his breath from the too close call.

            “Nick, Nick!” Judy’s voice called out as the rabbit safely crossed the road and appeared at the top of the rise. When she spotted the fox’s red fur she slid down the bank and ran over to his side. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m okay,” Nick replied, rising up onto his knees, shaking the snow out of his fur before holding out his tail to clean off the remaining, stubborn flakes.

 “Oh, good,” Judy breathed out in relief, holding a paw to her heart. “I was so worried.”  
Nick smirked arrogantly at her, “So _worried_?”

The rabbit’s ears flushed and she quickly rolling her eyes, smirking mockingly in turn. “Yeah, I hate to have to drag your ran over carcass back to your mom and brother.”

 Nick chuckled and stood up, “Let’s just hurry and get this mystery over with, Bun Bun.”  
 


	18. Chapter 18

Mr. Big lived in a very nice, very large mansion that was surprisingly easy to break into. Judy was pointing this out as Nick opened a window and the two climbed into a carpeted hall. She admired the plush carpet beneath her feet and the intricate patterns woven into it, the walls were smooth dark wood that shimmered in the light and she noticed it wasn’t much warmer inside than it was outside. But the distraction of the house didn’t stop her from asking Nick why they didn’t simply just ring the doorbell.

 “Carrots, when I die, I plan on going kicking and screaming,” Nick whispered as he led her down the hallway. “That plan involves me avoiding death as much as possible. That means I can’t go knocking on the front door and letting that shrew, who hates me by the way, know I’m here.”

“Come on, Nick, he’s not going to kill you,” Judy insisted.

“I’m still going to play it safe.”

            They traveled through the mansion, staying light on their feet and listening out for Mr. Big, Fru, or the polar bears that worked for the mafia boss while they also kept an eye out for Manchas who was nowhere to be found.

Sudden voices spoke up and before Judy could react Nick grabbed her arm and dragged her into a nearby closet, slamming the door behind him just in time as the voices got closer. Said voices had the burly accent of polar bears and it sounded like they were laughing about the antics of shrew, apparently there was a family reunion of some sort going on.

Though it was surprising Judy could make out the words since she had become distracted by the fact this closet was incredibly small, smaller than the one at the library, she guessed it stored small things like shoes and purses. When they had clambered inside Judy found her face pressed against his chest, she tried to elbow him away but there was no space for the fox to back up.

She listened as the polar bear’s voices faded away, “Okay the coast is clear.”

Nick swallowed; Judy felt his chest rise and fall as he spoke, “That was too close for me. You know, I’m sure I can convince the teachers to give me a light punishment for stealing Bogo’s beloved trophy. Let’s go.”

 “Oh no you don’t,” Judy snapped, fumbling around in the dark for the door. “We’ve gotten this far, I witness Yax being ‘natural’, I walked in on Flash’s make out session, you nearly gave my parents a heart attack and haven’t refrained from calling me Bun Bun. You are insane if you think we’re giving up now.”

Finally her paw found the door knob and she quickly turned it, she threw the door open but ended up tripping as she did so, dragging Nick down with her where they ended up falling onto the hallway floor, Nick sprawled on top of her.

 “Oh good going,” Nick growled as he glared down at her.

“How’s this my fault?” she demanded with a scowl to match his own. “ _You’re_ the one who managed to find the tiniest closet in this mansion! My face was buried in your chest!”

“And your paws wouldn’t keep roaming,” Nick complained.

Judy scoffed, “What did you expect I couldn’t see!”

            “Judy?”

The two turned their heads in unison to see Fru Fru staring at them with her jaw slack. By her expression the shrew had seen them fall out of the closet, Nick ending up on top of her, and had heard a kind of _suggestive_ conversation. Judy’s ears turned red and she quickly shoved Nick away crawling out from under him, “This isn’t what it looks like!”

 “What does it look like?” Nick asked with confusion, but just a second later his brain clicked and he gagged, “Oh it is _not_ what it looks like!”

 “What are you two doing here?” Fru asked as Judy knelt before her friend.

The rabbit answered, “Nick got accused of stealing one of Bogo’s trophies, and we think Mr. Manchas might know what really happened to it.”

Nick stood up, dusting off his shirt and walked over, “And we’d prefer to do that without your dad knowing I’m here.”

 Fru Fru looked even more confused than we see first saw them, “Um…Mr. Manchas is in the entertainment room, Daddy’s having family over. I actually need to get back… Do you want to come with? I’ve wanted to introduce you to him for a while now anyway.”

Judy said yes the say time Nick said no. She shot a glare at the rabbit, “We’re solving a case, remember?”

“I’m too young to get iced, remember?” he shot back.

            But eventually she managed to make Nick follow as Fru Fru led them to the entertainment room, it was large decked out in homey colors and adorned with a giant fire place. Tables were spread out around the room with rodent sized couches and chairs on top. Numerous shrews were sitting on the tables, conversing while they smoked cigars and drank wine. At the corners of the room, silent as snow, stood fancily dressed polar bears who only appeared to be there to look menacing. And standing by a table of shrews was Mr. Manchas, talking to one that she recognized as Mr. Big from Fru’s photos.

 Judy picked up her friend and walked her to the table while Nick stayed by the door.

            “Daddy, this is Judy,” Fru introduced as she was placed on the table, Mr. Manchas stepping away to give the two room. She hurried over to her father and took his offered paw. “My new friend I told you about.”

Mr. Big offered Judy a kind smile which was quick to return. “My daughter had told me many good things about you, Judy. It is a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“You too, sir,” she replied respectively. “I’m just sorry I hadn’t had the time to visit sooner. Your house is beautiful.”

“Speaking of,” the shrew continued, eyeing her. “How did you enter my home? My bears would’ve told me if I had a visitor.”

Judy swallowed, “Well, about that, sir…” she glanced behind herself to see Nick who was stilling trying to appear inconspicuous.

Mr. Big followed her eyes and his brow knitted when he spotted the fox, he signaled to one of the polar bears and the mammal walked over to Nick (who whimpered loud enough for the entire room to hear), grabbing him by the collar and carrying him to Mr. Big.

Nick stumbled as he was placing beside Judy, sending the rabbit an angry glare before offering a charming smile to the shrew. “Good evening, Mr. Big.”

 “Nicholas Wilde,” the shrew nearly growled. “I was sure I’d spend the rest of my days never having to see your face again.”

The fox swallowed, “Technically I didn’t want to come.”

“Miss Judy, you are friends with this hooligan?” Mr. Big asked the rabbit. Judy opened her mouth to tell him no, they were not friends, in fact she was pretty sure Nick hated her, but before she could Fru spoke up: “Yes, they’re friends.”

The two teens stared at her but didn’t speak as she went on. “You know how I told you Judy’s really smart and has such good manners and is super sweet?”

When her father nodded she continued, “Well, Daddy, Judy decided to take Nicky under her wing. Make him as good a student as her. You said so yourself that he had the makings of a good gentlefox.”

“Cleary I made an error in judgment,” the shrew growled quietly, eyeing said fox.

Nick seemed to shrink in on himself and he kept casting anxious glances at the polar bears around the room.

 “Oh, come on Daddy,” Fru insisted, “Don’t sell you intuition short. Let Judy try and mold him into a better imagine.” She learned forward and whispered in her father’s ear quietly, but with Judy being a rabbit she was able to make out the words: “Between you and me I think we’re witnessing the beginnings of _love_.”

Judy’s ears went pink but she stayed quiet. Fru was helping her case…kind of.

            Mr. Big fixed his eyes back on the two, “Did you come all the way here to tell me that?”

Judy shook her head, “No, sir. We came to talk to Mr. Manchas.”

 The jaguar, who had watched the conversation quietly, looked startled to be addressed. “Do you?”

 “We’re on a mystery,” Judy began.

 

.

 

            “I knew it!” Nick declared as they left Mr. Big’s home and trailed through the snow back to the subway.

“Oh, you did not,” Judy replied with a shake of her head.

            Mr. Manchas had had no qualms with telling them that Dawn Bellwether had asked to borrow his janitor keys and had yet to return them. But the jaguar had not been worried, Bellwether was the sweetest sheep, honest and kept her promises, and the vice president to boot. He had seen her at the book club while he had been cleaning up and mentioned she was wearing a coat he almost could’ve sworn Priscilla had been wearing. Judy had thanked him for the information and Nick had made a snide remark that maybe he was a better driver than a janitor. And then he had grabbed Judy’s paw and dragged her out of the room before Mr. Big decided that he _did_ want to ice him.

“I’ll call you later Fru,” Judy called to her friend as she was pulled away. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Big.”

            And now they were in the subway Judy pacing back in forth in front of Nick who was relaxing on a seat, watching her with half-lidded eyes.

“What did you even do to get her mad at you?” Judy demanded as she paced, her ears pressed flat against her skull.

Nick quirked a shoulder, “I have no idea. I make mammals angry all the time, what with my good looks and witty personality.”

Judy sighed and rolled her eyes, “I guess we’ll figure it out when we get there.”

 

.

 

            They reached Bellwether’s home and Judy raised her paw to knock on the door when Nick suddenly reached forward and grabbed her wrist. He fixed her with a serious look, “When you see her mom, don’t stare.”

Judy’s brow furrowed, “What?”

“Just don’t,” he insisted and then released her. Feeling weary Judy knocked on the door and a few moments later Bellwether opened it. Her wool was unkempt and she wore pink cloud patterned pajamas. Her glasses were crooked like she had just put them on but didn’t hide how her eyes widened in surprise when she spotted them.

 “What are you-” she began, but then a sweet sounding voice called from inside the house.

“Dawn, who is it? It is Leodore?”

“Mama, it’s-”

“Awfully late to be making a house call, the rascal.”

“No Mama, it’s-”

“Is he spending the night? I can make him a pallet in the living room.”

“Mama, no-”

“Oh, right. He always sleeps in your room when he comes over, such a scoundrel.”

 “ _Mama_ ,” Bellwether’s voice was tight as her ears reddened. “It’s not Leo. It’s two of my classmates.” She glanced up at them, ignoring Nick’s smirk. “And I’m trying to figure out why they’re here.”

Judy cut right to the chase as it was getting late, “Dawn, did you steal Bogo’s trophy?”

The sheep’s eyes widened again and a split second later she moved to close the door, but Nick was quick and managed to grab the door, arms struggling as he kept it from being closed. “You did not just try to slam the door in our faces,” Nick growled.

Judy grabbed the door as well and tried to help him pull it open but Dawn was stronger than she looked.

 “Do you have any idea what we’ve been through tonight to figure out it was _you_ who stole the trophy?” Judy demanded, arms straining.

“You didn’t have to figure it out,” Bellwether replied, her voice tight as she struggled against the two mammals. “I didn’t frame _you_.”

“But you framed me,” Nick growled out. “ _Why_?”

“ _You made me tear up my Zoosies banner_ ,” the sheep nearly shrieked. “Do you _have any idea how long it took me to make that_?”

Nick groaned, “Why can’t you express your negative feelings like Judy and just kick me in the face?”

“I didn’t kick you in the face!” Judy snapped at him, “You ran away before I could!”

            “Dawn,” her mother’s voice called out. “What on earth are you doing?”

“Oh forget it!” Bellwether snapped and released the door, causing Nick and Judy to fall onto their tails with surprised yelps.

 “Come on in,” she told them grumpily and walked into her house. “We have visitors, Mama.”

“Oh, do they want some of our leftover corn bread muffins.”

“Yes, please,” Nick called out as he and Judy walked inside. The small living room had a cozy fell to and it and was covered in comforting spring colors. The two stood awkwardly in the middle of the room while Dawn crossed her arms and sent them a heavy glare.

            Mrs. Bellwether then stepped in from the kitchen, carrying a plate of butter yellow muffins. Judy’s eyes trailed from the plate up to Mrs. Bellwether’s face and she couldn’t help a sharp intake of breath.

Dawn’s mother would’ve been beautiful, if not for the grotesque scars scattered across the left side of her face, the skin an angry red and her eye sealed closed. Judy’s eyes quickly dropped back to the plate of muffins, she could feel Dawn’s heated glare burning her shoulder.

“What brings you two here?” the elder sheep asked, stepping forward and offering them the muffins. Nick’s smile was warm and he took two of the treats, handing one to Judy who mumbled a thank you and took a bite, the muffin was cold but delectably buttery.

            “We just came to talk to your daughter,” Nick told the ewe. “She stole a trophy and framed me for it.”

Dawn scowled at the fox, “Tattle-tail.”  
”I nearly got run over by a truck tonight, call me whatever you want,” he replied, unbothered.

Mrs. Bellwether sent her daughter a stern look, “Dawn, I thought you were over this.”

The younger sheep shrunk under her mother’s gaze, “Sorry.”

Judy’s brow furrowed, “Over this?”

Mrs. Bellwether let out a breath tinged with fond exasperation. “I adore Leodore, but it’s his fault you’ve gotten so assertive. That forcefulness allowed your evil genius to blossom.”

Nick and Judy looked at their classmate, “Evil genius?”

“Do you two want the trophy back or not?” Dawn demanded.

            She led Judy to her room while Nick chatted with the sheep’s mother.

“How did you get Nick’s iPaw?” she asked.

“Took it from his bag in the gym while you were chasing him,” Dawn answered. “But just to let you know, I wasn’t just getting back at Wilde. I was getting back at that boorish buffalo too.”

“What did Bogo do?” Judy asked as they entered Dawn’s room. It was different shades of blue and looked quite formal. The bed was freshly made; on the ivory wall was a shelf that held medals and awards for academic achievements. Judy’s eyes went to the desk that was adorned with a vanity mirror, said mirror was completely covered in photos of Dawn and Leodore, though she noticed a few newer ones had Percy as well. Then she spotted a framed picture on the desk, it was two sheep holding a lamb between them. It was Dawn’s parents, only her mother’s face was unscathed and beautiful.”

“Quit gawking,” Dawn’s voice snapped, making Judy jump.

 The rabbit mumbled an apology while Dawn reached under her bed and pulled out a trophy that was nearly as big as her. She offered it to Judy who took it, surprised by the weight.

“You should return Yax’s coat,” Judy told her as they left the room and returned to the front of the house. “Why’d you take it in the first place?”

“So if anyone spotted me leaving with the trophy they wouldn’t recognize me,” Dawn replied matter of factly. “And before you ask I _am_ going to give Mr. Manchas’ his keys back Monday. But how about next time you invite yourself over, call first.”

 “You got it,” Judy promised but then stopped in her tracks. “I almost forgot.”

The sheep frowned at her, “What now?”

Judy placed the trophy down and reached into her pocket and pulled out her favorite carrot pen that doubled as a recorder, “Bogo needs to hear a confession.”

            Minutes later Judy and Nick wished the Bellwethers a good night and then headed on their way, trophy in paw, to Bogo’s. But as they walked Judy couldn’t help but ask the question that had been bugging her from the start.

“What happened to Mrs. Bellwether?”

Nick glanced away uncomfortably but eventually his green eyes moved back to her, dead serious, “She was attacked.”

 Judy’s brow knit, “By what?”

“A jackal,” he replied curtly. “I don’t know all the details; I don’t think many animals do. But I do know that when Dawn was a lamb they had a couple of jackals as neighbors, the husband started to attack his wife and Dawn’s mother tried to save her, Mr. Bellwether wasn’t there, he has a job that always sends him on business trip so it’s usually just Dawn and her mother… The ambulance got there in time to save her life but not her face.”

Judy cringed, “Poor Mrs. Bellwether.”

“Yeah,” Nick replied quietly. “Surprisingly she wasn’t scared of predators after that, but Dawn…it took her meeting Leodore to shake her fear of them.”

Judy remembered all the times she spotted the two together, always close by, always one watching the other, ready with a smile and a laugh. Their friendship ran farther than Judy had guessed.

            They found Bogo’s house and knocked on the door, Nick holding the trophy in his arms and Judy holding up the carrot pen. When the door opened Bogo’s jaw dropped when he saw them.

“Found it,” Nick replied, offering him the trophy which the buffalo took.

“And we know who took it,” Judy added, “But you have to promise not to tell the principal or any of the school staff that they took it. Agreed?”

 Bogo’s face was both shocked and impressed as he nodded, “Agreed…”

Judy clicked the button on the carrot pen and Bellwether’s voice spoke: Bogo, I, Dawn Bellwether, apologize for stealing your trophy and blaming it on Nicholas Wilde. But next time, think before you insult a very intelligent sheep with your BULL-HEADED, SEXIST OPINIONS YOU SON OF A-”

Judy turned the pen off, “No need to hear the whole thing.”

 Bogo looked Judy up and down then did the same to Nick, “You two actually did it…”

The rabbit smiled, bouncing on the balls of her feet, “It was easy, really. Now if you excuse us it’s getting late and we hate to keep you up, goodnight Bogo.”

With that she turned on her heel and walked away missing the smug grin Nick sent Bogo before he followed after her.

            They were halfway down the street when Nick spoke up, “I think they have trolleys down this street. It’s nine something, they should still be running. We can ride one back to our side of town, and then I can finally get some sleep.” He let out a yawn, “Someone as handsome as me needs beauty sleep, you know?”

 Judy didn’t answer; her eyes were on the ground as they walked and her face was thoughtful. Nick frowned and tapped her on the shoulder. Judy’s ears perked up and she glanced at him, “Hm?”

“You okay?” he asked, “I figured you’d want to brag about how you solved this mystery.”

 “I’m fine I just…” Judy gave him a weird look. “I feel really good.”

“Do you?”

 “I mean really good,” Judy told him, her eyes shining and Nick took a step back. “I just solved a mystery in a matter of hours!”

“I know,” he replied, “I was there.”

 “I want to do it again,” Judy said, her entire face breaking into enthusiasm.

“Well Monday you can ask around and then-”

“I want to be a detective.” Judy said suddenly, her voice speaking with finality.

Nick gave her a weird look but the rabbit kept talking, “But first I need to be a cop. I could do that. I could capture criminals, get so many cases, and help so many mammals.”

Nick continued to stare at her as she skipped down the street; he hurried to keep pace with her. “Carrots, there’s never been a bunny cop before.”

“I know,” she beamed at him, “That’s why I’m going to be the first.”

            Out of a store came a pack of teenagers that Nick recognized as students from a high school a few blocks from The Zoo. They sometimes joined the card games Nick and his friends along with other teens across the city would have, but he didn’t know them by name and hardly called them acquaintances.

 Nick and Judy followed them to the trolley stop; the three mammals loitered against a brick wall, one lighting a cigarette while Nick and Judy stood before the trolley rails, waiting for the next car to come along.

 “Officer Hopps…” Judy said suddenly, it sounded like she tasted the word. “Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

Nick looked up, pretending to be thinking it over. “Personally I think Officer Carrots or Officer Bun Bun is more memorable.”

Judy huffed in annoyance, “Well either way, I think I can do it. I’m fast; I have a thirst for justice. I could totally be the first rabbit officer.”

            A loud guffaw had the two glancing at the mammals they had forgot were not far from them, and apparently they were eavesdropping.

The one who had left was a rhino who sent Judy a patronizing grin, “A rabbit officer? Now I’ve heard everything.”

 Judy’s brow knit as she looked at the three. “Excuse me?”

The token tiger of the group spoke up, “Come on, cutie, you aren’t _actually_ serious about you being a cop are you?”

 “You’re gonna wanna refrain from using the word cute,” both Judy and Nick said in unison. The rabbit looked at the fox with mild surprise before turning back to the rhino, tiger and grizzly bear, “And I don’t see why I couldn’t become an officer. This is Zootopia, where anyone can be anything.”

 Her words only made the three laugh harder and Judy felt her ears droop. “You sound like a bumper sticker,” the bear said mockingly. “That’s so sad, pathetic even.”

 “She may sound like a bumper sticker,” Nick spoke up, “But at least she has better things to do on a Friday night than mock a perfect stranger.”

The rhino’s eyes narrowed at Nick, “So what? You think this rabbit can actually be a cop?”

“I’ll tell you what I think,” Nick replied, grabbing Judy’s shoulder and dragging her to his side. Judy’s eyes widened as their hips brushed and his arm slung around her almost protectively. “I think this carrot-muncher is the most stubborn creature I’ve ever met, to the point where she is downright monstrous, and I think she can be whatever she wants. Either way she hardly needs the opinion of a few future hobos.”

 Judy stared up at Nick in surprise while a strange sense of déjà vu nearly threw her. The other three mammals glared at the fox. “Of course you’d say that,” the tiger snarled. “You’re her boyfriend you _have_ to agree with her.”

 “He’s not my boyfriend,” Judy snapped.

“Absolutely not,” Nick agreed. “But I am a fox whose name she just cleared, doing so in only about five hours. She _also_ found the missing trophy of St. Zoo’s captain of the football team.”

 That made the threes’ eyes widened, “Bogo?”

Nick grinned, “Yep, and I’ll be sure to tell him how you guys think it’s so sad that he needed a ‘pathetic’ rabbit to find it for him.”

            Just then the tolling of the trolley brought Judy’s attention back to the rails and spotted the car climbing up the hill where it stopped before the two.

Nick released Judy and offered his paw to help her onto the trolley, “Officer Hopps.”

Judy smiled gratefully and took his paw, noting how her own paw fit into his perfectly, and stepped into the car, Nick following after.

The two made their way to the back of the trolley as it drove on, just in time for Nick to stick his tongue out a the scowling three before they eventually disappeared in the distance.

 Judy wrapped her arms around herself as the trolley moved at a comfortable pace, Nick leaning his elbows on the rail, watching the passing buildings and shops.

 She glanced at him and took a moment to swallow her pride, “Thank you.”

 He glanced at her and smirked but it lacked its usual arrogance and appeared almost bitter, “Never let them see that they get to you.”

 Judy released her breath and gave a small shake of her head, “That’s not something I’ve been good at. Everything gets to me.”

 Nick chuckled softly, “I forgot, your motto is when they get to you, kick them in the face.”

 She rolled her eyes but found her lips turning up in a smile all the same, “Yeah, that’s my motto, I live by it.”

 They were quiet for a few minutes, the only sound the night life of the city. And then Nick spoke: “Carrots?”

She looked to him, “Yeah?”

“…Thanks.”

 Judy smirked, “Sorry didn’t catch that?”

Nick glared at her but his small smile was still in place, “I said thanks.”

 Judy stepped closer so their shoulders brushed and lifted her ears up, “Still can’t hear you, better speak up!”

“I said _thank you_ ,” Nick’s voice cracked with humor. “Thanks for standing up for me and helping clear my name and putting up with my fantastic sense of humor!”

Judy giggled and stepped back, proudly smirking, “You’re quite welcome.”

 They fell into a surprisingly comfortable silence, Judy realized sometime during this adventure that she had found Nick’s presence not so…irritating or exhausting. She still couldn’t get over how he had stood up for her like that; he treated it like it was the most natural thing in the world. For the first time since she met Nick Wilde, Judy was seeing the kind fox Rick had always insisted was there, and she was starting to believe that she and Nick could actually be friends.

            “Does anything get to you?” she tried to make small talk.

Nick glanced at her then up at the sky with a thoughtful hum, “Not anymore. But when I was a kit I was emotionally unstable much like you, let everything get to me and then…one day I woke up and just decided to not let that happen anymore.”

 Judy looked at him. “Was it when your dad left?” the words came out before she could stop them and Judy’s paws slammed over her mouth as if that would bring them back.

Nick flinched and looked at her as if she had struck him, he stepped away from her, his eyes that had just been warm and even inviting were now hostile and on guard, his red fur bristling.

 “Who told you that?” he demanded his voice a quiet snarl. “Rick?”

Judy shook her head quickly.

“Then who did?”

 “I’m so sorry,” Judy tried to apologize. “I shouldn’t have said anything just forget about it.”

 “Forget about it?” Nick stepped away from her, his teeth bared. “It’s not a question to a math test, rabbit.”

“Nick really,” Judy insisted; reaching her paws out to him but ultimately dropping them to her sides. “It’s no big deal just-”

“No big deal?” Nick echoed, his tone was disbelieving, and he smiled bitterly, “Of course… A fox abandoning his mate and kits? That happens all the time.”

“That isn’t what I meant,” Judy persisted desperately. “I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad. Please, we were having such a good time.”  
 “We?” Nick repeated and shook his head, “No, _you_ were having fun. You were the one acting like a detective and dragging me across the city all night. I was just here because a sheep and a buffalo don’t like me. I had to bother my friend, I nearly became a stain on the road, was _this_ close to getting iced by a shrew, and now I have a rabbit whose so backwoods she actually owns a _fox taser_ , poking her little pink nose in things that have _nothing_ to do with her!”

 Judy found herself scowling his words causing a spark of anger in her belly. She had apologized and hadn’t meant it as an insult, he didn’t have to take it this far! “Dragging you across the city? I was helping you! I stood up for you; I was clearing your name! It’s  not my fault you walked in on Flash and Priscilla, it’s not my fault you weren’t watching where you were going when that truck nearly hit you, and it is _not_ my fault you tried to con a mafia boss! And now you’re calling me backwoods even though no, I _don’t_ have a fox taser! I did all of this to be _nice_ , I did all of this for _you_ , and so I figured I’d get more gratitude than this!”

 Nick snorted as the trolley skidded to a halt; they had made it to their part of town. “It doesn’t matter. It’s done now, the case is solved, and our little venture is over. Thanks again, Carrots. But next time let me handle my own problems, and don’t _ever_ bring up my father again.”

 He jumped off the trolley and stomped down the street, soon disappearing around the corner. Judy let out a defeated sigh and her shoulders slump, the fun of the night extinguished like a candle. If Nick Wilde didn’t hate her already, he definitely did now. 

 


	19. Chapter 19

The more time you spent around Wade Jones, the more mysteries appear. That’s what Gazelle believed as her new bodyguard shadowed her through the school. He was starting to warm up to her she was sure, and he was taking his job as a bodyguard seriously.

For example during The Chase, as the school called it, Nick Wilde had nearly crashed into her. But Wade hadn’t hesitated to grab her wrist and yank her to his side, saving her from being accidentally tackled by the fox.

Wade had growled as he watched the fox run off, his green eyes glaring but Gazelle’s attention had been on the paw that was still wrapped around her wrist. She took in how big his paw it was, it made her own hooves look so small and delicate but by then Wade realized he was still touching her and quickly let her wrist go as if it had burned him. Gazelle had looked up to meet his eyes but he was already looking away. Ever since she had continually teased him about it, thanking him for the rescue and bragging about it to her other friends, all the while Wade would hide under his hoodie.

            He did that a lot, pulling his red hood up to hide his face from the rest of the world, usually when Gazelle tried to strike up a conversation or she had embarrassed him (which was often). One such time is when she and Raja were out in the courtyard dancing and playing around, having a genuine good time while Wade stood a few feet away with a sour expression on his face.

 “Come over here, Wade,” Gazelle insisted to him.

The wolf glanced away, “That’s not what you’re paying me for.”

“Aw come on,” she said, “At least smile. You know I bet you’d look pretty cute if you smiled.”

 The words had Wade’s eyes widening and just like that he had thrown his hood over his hood, his paws pulling it down as far as it could possibly go so it completely covered his face, all the while he had made an adorable shy whimpering noise and Gazelle had laughed before leaving him alone. It was times like that she didn’t want to pry him, believing that sooner or later he’d come to here and accept the friendship she constantly offered.

            But then there were times where she felt like she _needed_ to pry him, feeling like there was something wrong and she wanted to help him fix it. To make him look her in the eye and understand that she wanted to be his _friend_ and friends looked out for each other.

One of these times had been when she was walking down the hall with Charlie, Wade a few steps away. She had been talking very animatedly to the cheetah, about what she couldn’t remember, probably one of their favorite foreign soap opera, waving her hooves around as she did so. She had either slowed her pace or Wade had picked up his own because the wolf was suddenly right behind her and her hoof touched his ribcage, it was just a harmless accidental caress but Wade had let out a yelp as if in pain and jumped back. Gazelle had started and stared at him in fright as his paw hovered over his ribs but he didn’t touch it. She had asked if he was okay, apologized for touching him. He had quickly assured her in a tight voice that it was fine and quickly dismissed himself and hid in the restroom. When he had finally come back out his expression told Gazelle not to press it, but she had really wanted to.

            Then finally, _finally_ , Gazelle’s patience was paid off and she got a glimpse into Wade’s life.

It was on Monday after school, and she had been outside St. Zoo’s parking lot when she had received the call her driver couldn’t make it on time. She had assured him it was fine and hung up, trying to remember if Sven or Raja or Winter or any of her friends were still here. And then an old, dark gray truck rattled to a stop beside her.

Gazelle’s eyes widened when the window rolled down and there was Wade, the wolf giving her a look that made Gazelle feel rebuked.

 “Why are you still here?”

She quirked an eyebrow at him, “Am I not allowed to loiter?”

Though the words had been said teasingly Wade’s ears flattened as if she had reprimanded him. “You don’t usually hang out long when class is over.”

Gazelle smiled softly, he had spent enough time with her to know her habits. She shrugged a shoulder, “I’m currently looking for a ride.”

“Don’t you usually have your own personal driver?”

“He’s stuck in traffic,” she answered. “Have you seen Charlie or Winter around? I can get a ride with them.”

 “I haven’t seen them,” Wade answered. His brow knit and he looked to be at war with himself. Finally he sighed heavily, “Want me to take you home?”

 Gazelle hurried over and placed her hooves on the door and smiled at him with delight, “Really?”

 “If you don’t mind me making a couple of stops first,” he said, looking more and more uncomfortable by the second, hunching his head between his shoulders.

 Gazelle opened the door and climbed in before he could change his mind. “I don’t mind at all,” she assured, buckling up.

She beamed happily at him as Wade drove them out of the parking lot and heading down town. She took in the truck; it was weathered down with age, the cup holder storing handfuls of pennies, a few blank CD cases under the radio.

 “Nice truck,” she complimented, almost tempted to open the glove box and see what was inside.

Wade glanced at her, then the seat she sat on, the leather torn, he looked back up at her, his expression stating he saw the compliment as sarcasm.

“It is,” she insisted, “It’s homey, has a well-loved, age worn, first car kind of feel.”

 “That’s because it _is_ my first car,” he answered, his eyes going back to the road. “I’ve had it since sophomore year.”

 “Neat,” Gazelle leaned back against the seat, taking notice of how the truck smelled like Wade. It was a scent she didn’t find half-bad, musky and somehow carrying the tinge of pine trees even though there wasn’t a pine tree for miles around. Her eyes trailed from the road back to the wolf, since he was focused on driving she finally had a chance to look at him without receiving a glare. His fur was coarse looking, probably from not being properly groomed, but his coat was a beautiful shade of black, darker than a night sky and she half expected to catch the twinkle of a star between the strands of hair. His entire body had a narrow, lithe shape, more familiar to a fox than a wolf, but he was definitely too tall to be vulpine, he was too tall to be lupus, he nearly rivaled Raja and Sven in height, but one could hardly tell since he rarely stood up straight, always folded into himself like he was ready to disappear.

            “This is good for us,” she declared aloud.

He looked at her again and she was starting to notice his green eyes always seemed to glow when he looked at her. “It’s good for us that your driver got stuck in afternoon traffic?”

“No, it’s good that we’re hanging out like this. Friends carpool each other all the time.”

Wade’s eyes went back to the road and he growled low in his throat, “We’re not friends.”

 Gazelle frowned and tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her heart from the blunt words. Wade just needed time is all, she’d get him to open up and accept her friendship. Her mother always said when dealing with males (of any ages or species) the main key was saintly patience.

            A few minutes later Wade pulled into the parking lot of an elementary school (Central Elementary), parking in an empty spot while kids were picked up by their parents. Gazelle looked around at the cubs and kits before turning to Wade, ready to ask what they were doing here, but the wolf was already looking at her with an apologetic expression.

 “I’m going to go ahead and say sorry,” the wolf told her.

Gazelle’s head tilted, “For what?”  
He cringed, “My sisters.”

            Something knocked on her window and Gazelle turned in her seat to see two wolf pups peering through the window, one was a pretty shade of red with green eyes that matched Wade’s, the other was a snowy white with violet eyes. When their eyes met Gazelle they both let out high-pitched squeals before opening the back of the truck and crawling in.

 “That’s Gazelle!” the red pup told Wade loudly, leaning forward between the driver and passenger seat to get a better look at the singer. “You’re Gazelle!”

 She smiled at the pup, noticing the violet-eyed one stayed in the back seat, looking at Gazelle shyly. “Hi.”

 “This is Jenna and Lily,” Wade introduced. “And obviously they know who you are.”

“Who _doesn’t_ know who she is?” the red one, Jenna asked of her brother. “But why didn’t you tell us you were friends with the best pop singer ever!?”

 “Why must you yell everything?” Wade shot back, “Now sit down.”

Jenna obeyed and Wade pulled them out of the parking lot. “Let me drop them off with our aunt and then I can take you home,” the wolf told Gazelle.

She nodded, absentmindedly wondering why the girls would be dropped off with their aunt instead of their parents. Probably just to spend time with her.

            “How’d you meet her?” Lily asked in a sweetly soft voice.

“She’s been in my class for years, Lil,” her brother answered.

Jenna gasped loudly and moved to lean forward but sat back when she remembered Wade’s order. “And you never told us?” she demanded indignantly.

“My school life isn’t any of your business, Jen.”

She huffed, “How can you even stand talking to him, Gazelle? I mean, we have to, we’re related. But _you_ don’t have to.”

Gazelle looked at the two from over her shoulder, “I don’t mind. I think Wade’s sweeter than he let’s on.”

If his paws hadn’t been on the wheel he would’ve once again covered his face with his hood. “But he and I haven’t started hanging out until recently. I made your big strapping brother my bodyguard.”

The two pups giggled and Wade huffed in annoyance, making Gazelle grin. Hitching a ride with him had turned out to be a fabulous idea.

            After a few more jokes at the wolf’s expense he finally stopped at a thrift shop where an older she-wolf was waiting, her fur a rich brown.

“Gazelle, you should come hang out with us some time,” Jenna invited. “It’d be fun!”

“Sure,” she smiled at her as Jenna beamed and jumped out of the truck, yelling a goodbye.

“Bye, Wade,” Lilly who was obviously the quiet sister, said. She leaned forward and gave her brother a peck on the cheek.

“See you tomorrow, Lily,” he rumbled his eyes affectionate. Such a sight made Gazelle pause; she didn’t know the wolf’s eyes could look so warm.

Lily mumbled a farewell to Gazelle and climbed out after her sister. The two ran inside the store while the brown wolf stepped forward to stop at Wade’s window. Her golden eyes shone with motherly concern as she offered him a small smile, “Hey, Wade.”

“Hey, Aunt Kate,” he greeted. Gazelle noticed how his shoulders had suddenly tensed up.

Kate nodded to Gazelle but if she was surprised her nephew had a pop singer in his truck she didn’t show it.

 “Is everything okay?” she spoke quietly to Wade, her voice so soft Gazelle almost couldn’t hear her.

Wade glanced at his classmate for a split second before turning back to his aunt. “Everything’s fine.” His voice was soft but tight and had finality to it. Kate gave him a melancholy look and after a few moments of silence she nodded and patted his paw. “Call me if you need me.” And then she was walking back to the store where Jenna and Lilly waited.

            “What was that about?” Gazelle asked as they drove off.

“Nothing,” Wade assured her, “My aunt just gets overprotective, worried I can’t handle myself.”

Gazelle looked at him, “From what I’ve seen you’re the most independent mammal on the planet, to a point where it’s kind of annoying.”  
Wade looked at her, his brows raised. “Annoying?”

She nodded, “You never accept help from anyone, as if it’s a sign of weakness to let others help you.”  
 “Maybe that’s because every time I open my mouth mammals run the other way,” he replied, his voice rumbling with a growl, “Like if they step too close I’ll eat them.”

Gazelle frowned, “If you just smiled once in a while that wouldn’t happen.”

Wade snorted in disbelief, “That’s easy for you to say Pop Star, you could spend all day tripping mammals and throwing out insults and they would still love you.”  
 Gazelle scowled, “That’s not true.”

Wade didn’t reply for a few minutes before finally murmuring, “Where do you live?”

 Gazelle quietly gave him directions, knowing he wouldn’t bring up their former topic and any headway she had made with him was lost. She let out a tired sigh and brought up her knees to rest them against the glove box, only for it to fall open as soon as she put her weight against it.

 “I’m sorry,” she gasped as a white box fell out; she quickly picked it up to realize it was a first-aid kit.

Her brow knit, she didn’t peg Wade as someone who kept such a thing in his truck. But then the wolf reached over and snatched it from her, throwing it back into the glove box and slamming it shut.

“Its fine,” Wade growled in a tone that said it was not, “Don’t worry about it.”

 Gazelle nodded as her home came into sight before them, “Thank you for driving me.”

 “Its fine,” he repeated, his eyes were on the steering wheel and she wasn’t sure he was even listening to her. “See you tomorrow.”

 “See you tomorrow,” she replied.

 

.

 

            Meanwhile Bellwether was having her own problems. She sat on her bedroom floor with half the Zoosies banner in her lap as she painted out the words. Beside her sat Leodore who was busy working on the other half of the banner, all the while scolding her for her revenge scheme.

Bellwether pouted to herself while Leodore kept on and on about how she should act her age, how as his vice president/assistant she needed to be a good influence on the rest of their classmates. The sheep almost told him that her mother had blamed his influence on her assertiveness but decided against it. Leodore prided himself far too much on the fact Mrs. Bellwether liked him to have his friend say such a thing.

            But thankfully Leodore dropped the embarrassing topic and started up a more welcome one, “So your dad’s supposed to be here soon?”

Bellwether smiled and nodded, “Yes, he’ll be here for a whole week.”

“That’s great,” the lion replied, pleased to see his friend so happy. “Maybe I can actually get to know him this time.” Despite the two being friends since childhood Leodore had only met Mr. Bellwether a handful of times and had never truly gotten a chance to talk and leave as good as an impression as he had on Mrs. Bellwether.

“I’m sure,” Bellwether replied, finishing up the touches of her side of the banner. “Now all we need is to let it dry.”

 They hung it on the wall and stood back to admire it, while Bellwether liked the original better she decreed this one turned out well enough considering it was done in such haste.

 “Will you be auditioning?” she asked her friend.

Leodore flashed his one hundred watt grin, “Of course I will; it’s my last year. I need to let everyone see my talent one last time.”

 Bellwether couldn’t help a small frown, she hated to be reminded that Leodore was a senior and before she knew it he would be off to college while she would have to go through one more year of high school without her best friend. Her eyes trailed to her vanity mirror that was decorated with photos they had taken over the years.

Leodore followed her gaze and smiled softly at the mirror before walking over to it. He studied the photos for a minute before pointing to one where they were still kids, their faces uncomfortably close to the camera while they wore silly grins.

“This one is my favorite,” Leodore declared, “This was when my mane was finally growing out.”

 “Oh my God, I _know_ Leo,” Bellwether said with just a tinge of impatience. “You literally never shut up about it.”

“I was a runt,” he pointed out a bit defensively, “Manes were a sign of pride for male lions and mine didn’t grow out until much later than usual. Lucy always said I looked like a lioness.”

 “Sign of pride? More like a sign of arrogance,” the sheep replied as she walked over to stand by his side. “I remember how all those other lion cubs finally started inviting you to play when your mane started to grow in.”

Leodore smiled softly at her, “But you didn’t need me to have a mane.”  
Bellwether rolled her eyes but her voice was fond as she answered, “Of course I didn’t. What was I supposed to do? Leave the poor little cub building sand castles all by himself?”

 Leodore snorted, “Come on, Lamb. You know you started hanging out with me because you fell madly in love with me.  
Bellwether snickered and shook her head, “We’ve been through this before-you can’t afford me.”

 “Surely there’s someway I can win you over.”

“Nope,” Bellwether headed toward the door, “Not in your life, sweetheart.”

Leodore grinned cheekily and then made to follow her, only to slip on one of the paint brushes they had left on the floor and the next thing he was falling and ended up landing on Bellwether who yelped out in surprise.

 “Sorry, sorry,” the lion apologized, rising up on his elbows to gaze down at Bellwether who was now on her back, with concern.

“I’m fine,” she told him, looking up at him with amused exasperation, “But aren’t you the klutz.”  
            “Dawn,” a voice suddenly spoke up and then a ram was standing in her doorway, “How’s my little lamb-” his words stumbled to a halt when he saw a lion was practically pinning his daughter to the floor.

“Daddy!” Dawn greeted happily, but then took note of her father’s shocked expression. “This-this isn’t what it looks like!”

Leodore’s own face morphed into terror as he realized he just made the worst possible impression on her father.

Mr. Bellwether’s lips pulled back into a pleasant smile and he calmly walked forward, only to roughly and violently push Leodore off his daughter, the lion falling onto his side and grunting in pain. The ram then pulled his daughter to her feet and hugged her fiercely. “I’ve missed you, baby. I hope you and your mom didn’t have too hard of a time while I’ve been away.”

Dawn was staring in frightened concern to her friend, “That sound…I think you broke something.”

 Leodore ignored the pain in his shoulder and hurriedly stood up, “Please, sir…” his voice was impossibly quiet, Dawn had never heard him sound so scared. “It was a misunderstanding.”

 But the ram ignored him, smiling lovingly at his daughter, “I’m parched, how about we make some homemade lemonade like when you were little?”

“I can make it for you!” Leodore quickly offered, hurrying to the door, “Dawn where do you keep the lemons-OW!”  
Leodore looked down at his tail where Mr. Bellwether had stepped on it, stopping him from leaving the room. Dawn winched as her father fixed Leodore in a glare that could melt steel, “Mind telling me why you’re addressing my daughter with such informality?”  
 “Daddy this is Leodore Lionheart,” Dawn answered for him. “Remember? He’s been my best friend since I was a kid.”

Mr. Bellwether still didn’t look pleased, “I’d figure you two would stop being friends once he was old enough to have only one thing on his mind.”

 Leodore swallowed and Dawn scowled, “He’s not like that!”

“We’ll see,” the ram replied, releasing the lion’s tail and ushering him out of the room. “We’ll see.”

 


	20. Chapter 20

_Dumb bunny, dumb bunny, dumb bunny, she’s a dumb bunny. Like, she may as well have blond fur she’s such a dumb bunny. She’s reality TV show dumb of a bunny._

 Similar words had been running through Nick’s brain all through the weekend and Monday, and now he was sitting out in the courtyard with his friends. And the brand new mantra was not helping him in the least.

 He had returned home after his following out with the rabbit, relieved his mother and brother were asleep so he wouldn’t have to tell them. He had crawled into bed, ready to fall asleep enraged as his mind played over that argument over and over again and then, quite suddenly, he realized something horrifying. He felt _guilty_!

  _Why should I feel guilty_ , he demanded of himself even now while his friends sent him weird looks. He was running a set of his claws across the wooden table, leaving grooves in it while he ground his teeth together and glared at nothing. It had been Judy’s fault they fought, it had her who brought up his father (he so bet Finnick told him, he’d fight the fennec if he didn’t know that his friend could beat his tail as he’d done it before), so why was _he_ the one feeling bad? Judy wasn’t feeling bad! The last he checked she was currently out on the field, jogging with Clawhauser with a perfectly happy smile on her face. It made him want to…want to…not insult her…he had tried for _days_ now but he no longer took any pleasure from driving the rabbit crazy. He must be ill. Especially considering that earlier that day, when Judy had passed him he had actually considered walking over to her and apologizing for his behavior. He had no reason to say sorry; besides, he had a reputation to upkeep! Nicholas Wilde didn’t _apologize_ , especially not to annoying little dumb bunnies who couldn’t mind their own business.

“ _Nick_ ,” Finnick’s growl interrupted him from his thoughts and the red fox glared at his friend.

“ _What_?”

 “I just asked if you are coming to tonight’s card game?” Finnick demanded.

Card game…yes, that’s what he needed, play cards, win and lose money, and Honey always brought Winnie, this delicious alcoholic drink that would make Nick wash away his worries. “You can’t stop me.”

 

.

 

            Hours later school was over and Nick and co. made their way to an old pub. The place was hardly frequented anymore and the owner allowed the kids to borrow it on certain nights, not caring that a majority of them were under aged and drinking an alcoholic beverage.

Their were fifteen in all, besides Nick and his friends there were three other mammals from St. Zoo (one of them being Duke Weaselton), the rest came from other schools throughout Zootopia.

They all pushed tables together and grabbed a chair, making themselves comfortable while one mammal poured everyone a cup of Winnie and another shuffled the cards.

            “How much money did you bring?” Nick asked Finnick who sat between him and Honey.

“Not enough to lend to you if you lose all yours,” the fennec fox replied. “So if you’re going to play, don’t drink.”

Nick never was one to listen to sound advice.

 He was three cups in and was about to have to resort to throwing his jacket into the money pile. On the bright side, Duke Weaselton wasn’t having much luck either, not that that didn’t stop the weasel from pretending he had everyone right where he wanted them.

            One zebra noticed how Nick was chugging his fourth cup and glanced toward Finnick and Honey (both of which were holding their Winnie well). “What’s up with him? He’s drinking like he’s old enough to be depressed about something.”

“He refuses to tell us,” Finnick replied; by his tone he was taking Nick’s silence personal.

Luckily for him Nick had far too many drinks to play the quiet game anymore, “Bunnies are dumb!” he stated, slamming his cup on the table and having droplets spill onto the table. “No offense,” he told the mammal beside him.

“I’m a hare,” Harry Hareson said dryly. “There’s a difference.”

“Oh yeah,” a hyena who had her eyes on her cards spoke up, “You’re taller than rabbits, such a big difference.”

 But the zebra was still interested in Nick’s plight, “What did the dumb bunny do, Wilde?”

 “She was dumb,” Nick pouted, sounding like a spoiled child.

 “Are you talking about that Hopps chick?” Duke asked his classmate. “I thought she was shagging it up with your brother.”

 “ _Never_ ,” Nick snapped, baring his fangs. Honey and Finnick exchanged surprised glances.

 “Oh, that reminds me,” a panda spoke up, “My dad said he thought he spotted Rick on a date with a rabbit at our shop.”

“Ah,” the hyena chuckled, “Are you jealous of your brother, Nicky?”

 Nick snorted, “Why would I be jealous of Dick?”

“Because he’s hotter,” the hyena stated easily.

“And charming,” the zebra pointed out.

“And all together much more pleasant,” Harry Hareson the hare added.

“First off,” Nick began, lifting a finger, “No one is hotter than me, nor is anyone more charming, and _finally_ I am an absolute _delight_ to be around!”

 The panda rolled his eyes, “Just because that rabbit likes Rick more than you-”

“She doesn’t!” the fox nearly spat, startling the rest of the table (Finnick wisely pulled his drink away). “That dumb bunny isn’t dumb enough to not love me!”

            Duke smirked mischeviously, “Wanna bet on it?”

“No,” Finnick said at the exact time Nick said “Yes.”

“Butt out Fin you don’t own me!” the taller fox growled before turning back to the rest of the table, “Bet me! Bet I can have Judy Hopps by…let me see, November…December… _January_! I can have that rabbit eating out of my paw by January! We’ll be so cuddly my scent will be _all_ over her!”

“Nick, please,” Honey begged while Finnick shook his head in dismay. “This isn’t going to end well for you!”

 Nick childishly stuck his tongue out at her and then turned back to the others. “Who’s in it to win it?”

 Immediately the betting pool started, the mammals splitting up, those who think Nick could win over the rabbit and those who believed they were going to fail. All the while Finnick and Honey refused to join, they knew an absolutely terrible idea when they heard it. But as far as Nick was concerned, he didn’t lose bets, at least not ones that involved annoying attractive little dumb bunnies.


	21. Chapter 21

“Judy Hopps.”

The rabbit almost didn’t recognize the suave voice, closing her locker she nearly had a heart attack when she saw Nick leaning against the lockers with a devilish grin that immediately put her on edge. “The morning light is doing wonders to that velvety fur of yours.”

 Judy scowled, remembering their fight and how he had called her _backwoods_ , they hadn’t spoken since and she was sure Nick wasn’t ready to forgive her. Nick had nearly scared the life out of her when she was hanging out with her brother, humiliated her for ending things with said brother, and she was positive he wasn’t done making her suffer for bringing up his father

 “Pretty good for a rough country rabbit,” she said, not trying to hide the sharpness of her voice.

Nick chuckled uncomfortably, “Yeah, listen Carrots… I think we got off on the wrong foot.”

 “That’s definitely one way to put it,” she replied bitingly before turning on her heel and heading down the hall. Nick followed after.

 “Well I say life’s too short to hold onto grudges,” he declared, keeping an easy pace with her. “How about we start over?”  
 “I don’t hold grudges,” Judy said maturely, “You do.”  
Nick shrugged helplessly, “I’m a little spitfire. But seriously, how about we reintroduce ourselves?”

 Judy stopped in her tracks and glared up at him suspiciously, “Why?”

Nick flashed a charming smile that made Judy’s heart flutter but it also made her want to smack him. “I happen to like what I’m seeing.”

 She scoffed and rolled her eyes, “There’s a slim chance that _might_ and that’s a big _might_ , have worked on me when we first met but now…what do you want?”

 “I want us to start over,” he repeated, offering his paw, “Hi, I’m Nick Wilde.”

 The rabbit didn’t take his paw, instead she stepped back, giving him a weird look. “Okay, Nick, I don’t know what scheme you’re trying to pull here but you’re starting to creep me out… So I’m leaving now.”

 

.

 

            “Gee,” Finnick said after Nick had reported his failure. “It’s almost like this was a bad idea.”

“I don’t need your sarcasm right now,” Nick said, his fingers laced together under his chin. “I’m thinking.”

 The two sat in the back of their class, the teacher droning on about a rhombus or whatever while Nick’s mind was racing about other things. Clearly the ‘Let’s Start Over’ approach wasn’t going to work with Judy. That’s fine, he had other ideas, he may not be one for commitment, but he had left many a female swooning and Carrots would be no different.

 “Maybe you should ask Sven for advice?” Finnick asked. Nick glanced over at the reindeer who had his head buried in his arms, apparently his ignoring Charlie plan was not going over well.

Nick sent his friend an incredulous look, “That reindeer suffers rejection every day.”

“Exactly,” Finnick replied. “You need the practice.”

 Nick sarcastically chuckled, “You’re hilarious… But it wouldn’t hurt to have a partner on this little mission, maybe my charm will rub off on the poor guy.” 

 “Mr. Wilde,” the teacher (who was a hare) suddenly spoke up. “Can you please wait until after class to discuss your adventurous social life?”

 

.

 

            “Hey, Sven,” Nick called out, following the reindeer as he left class. The taller mammal looked surprised to have the fox speaking to him; they hardly had ever conversed before.

 “Hey, Nick.”

 “Out of curiosity, what kind of methods have you used to woo fair Charlotte’s heart?”

The reindeer’s brow furrowed, “Methods?”

Nick smirked, “Thought as much.” He patted the deer’s arm, “Worry not my friend, I am currently on my own quest to sweep a girl off her feet so I figured I’d share my wisdom with you.”

 “Will you?” Sven asked, sounding surprised and touched. “Why?”

 _Because if I see you moaning and groaning about that cat any longer I will literally throw up_. “Because I’m a nice guy. Now, what do ladies love more than anything?”

 “Uh…chocolates?” Sven offered, “Roses? Jewelry?”

Nick shook his head slowly, “Pickup lines.” He held up his phone, showing off a website he had pulled up that had a list of the most famous/successful of pick up lines. “Guaranteed to make the girls melt.”  

 

.

 

            “Hey, Charlie!”

The cheetah stopped, she was in the hallway making her way to her next class, other students walking around her as she looked for who had called her name. Her heart sunk in dread as she spotted Sven hurrying to her, so much for the leaving her alone thing.

 “What is it?” she asked as the reindeer stopped before her, his eyes alit with childish excitement.

 “I have one question for you,” he declared.

She swallowed nervously, “I’m listening.”

 Sven pointed his hooves at her and flashed a smile that was meant to be suave. “How _you_ doing?”

Charlie would’ve laughed if she wasn’t thoroughly confused. Instead she lifted her paws and imitated his finger pointing, “ _I’m_ going to class.” She quickly turned and hurried on her way before Sven’s crazy turned contagious.

 

.

 

            Judy was in the library, pulling out a book on the tame collar generation, and nearly let out a scream as Nick’s face appeared on the other side of the shelf, grinning at her like he did from earlier.

“ _What are you doing_?” she furiously whispered, her heart beating painfully against her ribs.

 “Hey, Carrots,” Nick spoke like she hadn’t said a word. “I’d better get a library card.”

Her brow furrowed, “What?”

He looked her over and winked, “Cause I’m checking you out. Get it?”

 Judy placed the book back on the shelf, blocking the fox’s muzzle from her sight.

 

.

 

            Charlie and Gazelle were talking about a future project during a free time in class when Sven suddenly appeared, crawling on his hooves and knees as if he was looking for something on the floor.

“What’s going on?” Gazelle asked him, her eyes shining with curiosity and amusement.

Sven looked up to the two females, “I dropped something when I saw Charlie.”

The cheetah’s eyes narrowed, “What would that be?”

 “My jaw.”

 The cheetah and gazelle looked at him with pity.

 

.

 

            P.E. was being held out on the field today and Judy was running with Clawhauser, throwing out encouragements to the cheetah whenever he looked ready to collapse. The best encouragements involved donuts.

Before she even realized it they were jogging next to Nick who was in the middle of his track practice. He noticed the bunny and grinned excitedly, “You with all those curves!”

He ran onward, Judy ignoring the weird look Clawhauser sent her before the fox appeared again, having dashed across the entire field to be at her side again, “And me with no brakes!”

Clawhauser giggled while Judy scowled.

 

.

 

            Charlie sipped from her water bottle, leaning against the booth she occupied all by herself, enjoying relative peace and quiet. Of course that didn’t last long. Once again Sven appeared, holding something behind his back.

“Hey, Charlie,” he greeted, while the cheetah prepared herself to run. “Do you have any raisins?” He didn’t give her time to answer before revealing his hoofs held a piece of fruit, “Well, then how about a date?”

 “I’m a predator,” she pointed out.

 

.

 

            “Carrots!”

Judy tensed up as Nick stopped her before she could disappear into the restroom. “What is it _now_ , Nick?”

“No, no, this is serious,” the fox insisted. “I lost my phone number.”

Judy’s eyes narrowed, “Don’t you dare…”  
 “Can I have yours?”

 The rabbit hurried into the restroom before she smacked him.

 “Was that a maybe?” he called through the door but never got an answer.

 

.

 

            Charlie rolled her eyes as _once again_ Sven scooted over to her side while she loitered in the hall. “I have a message to deliver.” The reindeer pointed to a mammal across the hall, “You see my friend over there? He wants to know if you think I’m cute.”  
 Charlie looked to where he was pointing, “Hey, Wade!”

The wolf looked up from his book, looking more annoyed than surprised at being addressed.

 “Are you and Sven friends?”

“No.” The wolf glared at the reindeer who seemed to shrink into himself.

 “That’s what I thought,” Charlie chuckled.

 

.

 

            Honey and Finnick watched as Judy viscously kicked at the closet door Nick had locked himself into. The rabbit let out an angry huff before marching off, nearly colliding into Rick who managed to jump away just in time. The senior watched her go with confusion before turning to the badger and fennec fox. “Why is steam coming out of Judy’s ears?”

 “Because Nick used a very bad pick up line,” Honey sighed.

Rick looked at her, “What did he say?”

 Finnick cleared his throat before speaking, “Do you have a mirror in your pocket?”

“Because I can see myself in your pants!” Nick called out from the closet.

Rick face-pawed.

 

.

 

            Winter watched in mortification as Sven dramatically fell to the floor at the end of health class, landing right at Charlie’s feet. The she-cheetah looked ready to step on him.

“I hope you know CPR,” the reindeer gasped. “Because you take my breath away.”

 “Oh I’ll take your breath away,” Charlie growled and looked ready to pounce on Sven. Winter quickly reached over and grabbed her arm before blood could be spilled. While she did so she couldn’t help but feel that that pick up line seemed to scream Nick Wilde.

 

.

 

            Nick came close to succeeding on his fifth pick up line. The rabbit was taking another science class to help her get a better grip on it and today Nick managed to get Bobby Catmull to trade seats for the day and he ended up right behind her. While the teacher was busy pulling up a power point Nick leaned across his desk and pressed his lips against her ear, instantly Judy’s fur bristled.

“You know what would look great on you?” he breathed, dropping his voice to sound low and husky, “ _Me_.”

 Judy shivered, actually shivered, before turning around to glare at the fox but Nick was already leaning back against his seat with a smug grin on his face, taking note of how red her ears were. Judy, ever the good student, simply scowled at him and turned back to face the board.

 Nick counted that as a victory.

 

.

 

            Even Sven knew his next line wasn’t any good, that’s why he simply walked up to Charlie and said it in a dull tone that held no enthusiasm:

“Excuse me, but I’m new in town; can I have directions to your place?”

 Charlie who had been stretching for her gym class, sent him an almost sympathetic look. “Just walk away, Sven.”

He obeyed.

 

.

 

            Reinvigorated Nick causally threw a line to Judy as he passed her and her friends in the hall. “Hey, Carrots, can I borrow a quarter? I want to call my mom and tell her I just met the girl of my dreams.”

 “Oh my God, we have _cell phones_ , Wilde!” Judy yelled to the ceiling while she kept walking. Clawhauser chuckled again while Fru Fru stared at Nick in open shock (having not yet been told about Nick coming on to her friend).

 

.

 

            Just like the fox Sven came close to succeeding with his next line.

Charlie stepped out of the ladies locker room, her fur damp from her shower, when suddenly she felt someone grab her paws and there was Sven. He was standing before her, a full head taller not including the antlers, and held her paws to his heart, all the while his ice blue eyes stared deeply into Charlie’s own brown ones and despite herself, she felt her heart skip a beat.

“Do you have a map?” he whispered to her, his voice a raspy brogue that she had always secretly enjoyed. “Because I just keep on getting lost in your eyes.”

 Charlie swallowed painfully, feeling her eyes stinging and she quickly pulled away from him, excusing herself before going back into the locker room. That was such a cheesy, lovely little pick up line and not for the first time Charlie wished she wasn’t a cheetah.

 

.

 

            Judy, Clawhauser, and Fru Fru were scrunched up together on a bench. Clawhauser telling them a crazy little adventure his older brother had had in the Rainforest District, when Nick suddenly appeared again. The cheetah and shrew looked up at him expectantly, smiles tugging on their lips. Judy eventually turned around to face him, her expression pained. “Yes?”

 Nick smiled, “Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?”

Fru Fru giggled appreciatively like she had received the compliment.

Judy looked at him drolly, “I will skin you in your sleep.”

 

.

 

            Charlie had almost gotten over Sven’s last attempt at ‘wooing’ her when she realized he was never going to stop. Of course he wouldn’t, he never stopped; he was like a terrifying machine.

So with a heavy heart Charlie watched him sit next to her in class and make a paper airplane, when he was finished he showed it off to her with an adorable smile, one hoof placed on his chest. “Is there an airport nearby or is that just my heart taking off?”

 Charlie turned away.

 

.

 

            Judy was reading one of Franklin Bearstain’s books when a shadow blocked out her light, she let out a sigh that came out more as a groan. She looked up to Nick standing over her, his eyes trailing over the words in her book. “What are you reading?”

“How to get away with murder,” she replied and her frown deepened when Nick only laughed.

 “The alphabet’s a funny thing,” he replied out of the blue. “You know, if I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put U and I together.”

He jumped back before the rabbit could whack him with the book.

 

.

 

            “Is it hot in here or is it just you?”

Sven, Charlie, and a whole crowd were bunched up together in a crowd that was suffering a traffic jam. Charlie glared at him while Winter sighed and Gazelle giggled. Wade who was standing a few feet behind his ward rolled his eyes and looked at the reindeer, not sure if he should look sympathetic or mocking.

“Who are you talking to?” Raja, also standing by Wade asked. Some mammals around Sven were giving the reindeer weird looks, obviously thinking he had been talking to them. Sven acknowledged that pick up lines were all about location, location, location.

But since morning had already passed and he was catching a bad case of impatience, he leaned over Winter who stood between him and the cheetah and tried another line: “Your legs must be tired because you’ve been running through my mind all night.”

 “Sven,” Winter spoke up, “Please don’t make me hit you in front of everyone, please.”

 

.

 

            Judy was tossing a volleyball around with Charlie when Nick burst into the gym and actually sang his next line, “ _If I said you had a beautiful body would you hold it against me_?” Judy threw the ball at him and he dodged with a yelp and hurried out of the gym.

            “Ugh!” she let out a frustrated growl as she marched over and retrieved the ball.

Charlie gave her an understanding look, “You too, huh?”  
Judy looked at her, “Huh?”

 “Earlier Sven informed me that he didn’t know angels could fly so low,” she said with a sigh. “And then right before he left me here he went on about asking if my father was a thief cause someone stole the _stars and put them in my eyes_.”

 Judy chuckled and handed the ball back to her, “At least he was trying to be poetic. Nick used those typical cheesy lines, he was all ‘do you come here often’ and ‘what’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?” She sighed, “He actually screamed, right there in the hall for everyone to hear, ‘where have you been all my life’?”

“I know your pain,” Charlie nodded to her.

“Yeah but the difference is Sven is trying to impress you because he genuinely likes you,” Judy pointed out (not noticing how Charlie had flinched), “Nick is up to something. I don’t know what yet but I do know that if I let him get away with it it’s going to utterly humiliate me.”

 

.

 

            Nick and Sven sat on the front steps of St. Zoo, the bell tolling that the day was over and it was time to go home.

“Clearly we need a different approach,” Nick decided out loud, his tail swishing as he thought.

“Agreed,” Sven replied.

They had spent all day using the most popular pick up lines they could find but the closest they came to their objective was making the two blush. Nick was starting to think he might need more time. _No_ , he told himself, _It’s only the first day, you will have that rabbit eating out of your paw, Wilde, just you wait_.


	22. Chapter 22

Nick was sprawled out on the couch of his home, his mother was at work and Rick was out doing some charity work for extra credit.

Nick had given Judy her space today and the bunny had looked relieved at that, _that_ he needed to fix. He needed to find a way to make Judy miss him.

            Soft rapping on the door broke him from his thoughts and Nick dragged himself off the couch and walked to the door. When he answered it he was greeted by the sight of an otter and her two sons.

“Hey, Mrs. Otterton,” Nick smiled politely at his downstairs neighbor, “Hey, boys.”

“Hi, Nick,” the boys, Oscar and Elijah, greeted happily; they always liked the older fox.

“Is your mother home, sweetie?” Mrs. Otterton asked him.

 “No, ma’am, she’s at work. Is something wrong?”

 Mrs. Otterton wrung her paws worriedly, “I was hoping she could watch my babies while I ran some errands. My husband’s at work and I didn’t want to make the boys stay cooped up in a car while I paid bills…”

 “Well, I was about to run to the store but the boys are welcome to come.”

Oscar and Elijah looked to their mother excitedly, “Can we, Mom?”

 “Are you sure?” Mrs. Otterton asked Nick with concern.

Nick waved her worry away, “It’s no problem, I love hanging out with your kids.” He grinned at the two, “Ready to have a blast with big brother Nick?”

 

.

 

            He walked into Betty’s Graze and Grow, Oscar sitting on his shoulders while Nick held the younger Elijah in his arms.

“Can we get candy, Nick?” Oscar asked as the fox checked the aisle numbers.

“Sure, bud, before we leave.” Nick smiled when he spotted his destination, the breakfast aisle. “Help me find the Lucky Chomps.”

He walked through the aisle, examining the many breakfast foods as he did so, only to stop in his tracks as he noticed a familiar figure.

            Judy was standing next to an elephant sized shopping cart, looking up at a top shelf that held most of the cereals, her nose scrunched up.

Nick broke into a grin at the sight of her, “Carrots!”

 The rabbit jumped in the air before whirling around to see Nick and her body tensed up in terror and she looked ready to run.

 “No pick up lines,” Nick quickly assured her as he walked over, Oscar and Elijah looked at the rabbit with big eyes. “I promise.”

 Judy still looked at him suspiciously, “Okay…” her eyes turned to the otters. “Who are these two?”

 “My neighbors,” Nick replied, “Oscar, Elijah, say hi.”  
 “Hi!” Oscar waved at her from atop Nick’s shoulders.

“Hi, miss,” Elijah greeted quietly with a sweet smile.

 “Aw,” Judy cooed, placing a paw over her chest, “They’re so cute.”

 “They get it from me,” Nick replied, flashing a grin that the two otters immediately copied. Judy looked like she was trying not to laugh. _Why didn’t I think of this sooner_ , Nick thought ecstatically. _Girls_ love _a guy whose good with kids. And if the girl is a_ bunny _, that’s extra effective!_

 “Whatever you say, slick,” Judy finally replied, turning her attention back to the top shelf full of cereal. She furrowed her brow and appeared to be deep in thought.

 “Can’t reach up there, can you?” Nick guessed.

Judy sighed, “No…” She looked up at her giant shopping cart and Nick realized there were a couple of groceries in it.

Nick looked at her, “Did they run out of rabbit sized carts?”

“No, I just felt like building up some muscle,” Judy replied sarcastically. Nick smirked at her appreciatively, if nothing else his excellence sense of sarcasm was rubbing off on her.

 “I’m gonna have to try climbing,” Judy decided aloud and literally started to climb up the cart, her destination the handlebar.

“Can I climb up to?” Nick asked. “I eat cereal too!” he explained when Judy sent him a look.

She shrugged, “Fine, whatever.”

 Nick placed the Oscar and Elijah on the floor, told them to stay put, and followed Judy up onto the handlebar. Balancing precariously on the handlebar the rabbit stretched her arm out and was _this_ close to reaching a box of Lucky Chomps. She let out a frustrated huff and turned to Nick, “ _Why_ are the shelves so tall!”  
 “Betty was an elephant and the manager’s too lazy to change the store,” Nick answered.

Judy’s face contorted into a painful expression like she didn’t want to say what she was about to say, “…I need you.”

 Nick’s tail involuntarily wagged at those words, “Go on.”

“We’re gonna have to replay the vent scene,” she replied.

 Nick held his paws out to her, “Gladly.”

 Judy swallowed and let Nick pick her up, the fox lifting her up while wrapping his tail around the handlebar to keep balance. While Nick enjoyed the rabbit’s body heat Judy stretched her arms out and grabbed two boxes of Lucky Chomps.

Nick turned to look down at the Otterton boys only to see they had vanished, “Oscar! Elijah! Where’d you-” In his sudden panic he lost his balance and with a small ‘uh-oh’ he slipped off the handlebar, Judy still in his arms. Lucky for the rabbit Nick landed on his back.

 “Are you okay?” Judy asked, pulling herself out of his arms to look down at him, her purple eyes worried.

 “Totally,” Nick lied with a grin, “I have a spine of steel.” He was eighty seven percent sure said spine was broken. Then he remembered why he fell and he jumped up, looking around frantically, “Where did the boys go? Oscar! Elijah!?”

 “I’ll help you find them,” Judy offered, placing the two boxes of cereal on the floor. “Where do you think they’d go?”

 “Candy aisle,” Nick answered and sprinted across the floor, Judy following after. “Mrs. Otterton is going to kill me,” he moaned.

“No, she won’t,” Judy assured him, easily keeping pace with him as he frantically scampered. “We’ll find them.”

            The arrived in the candy aisle where children were pestering their parents for a treat, but none of those children were otters. Nick started to hyperventilate. Judy patted him on the back in a comforting manner, “Calm down, we need to you to think, Nick. Where else would that be?”

“Is there a toy aisle?” Nick asked.

“This is a grocery store.”

“ _Damn it_.”

 Judy pulled the fox away as parents sent him a rude glare for cursing in front of their cubs and kits. She checked the aisles they passed as she dragged him away, trying to figure out where two little otters would go in this store.

She looked at Nick who was biting his claws anxiously. “Maybe the frozen food section?” she offered.

Nick looked down at her, “Frozen food?”

“Ice cream,” Judy explained.

Nick nodded, his face surprised as if he couldn’t believe he didn’t think of that, “Oh, that’s right.”

 They arrived to said aisle, Judy rubbing her arms from the suddenly chilly air. She spotted a polar bear and a couple of caribou, but no otters.  Nick’s panic was starting to become contagious.

 “I can see the headline now,” Nick moaned to himself while Judy hurried over to the caribou and asked if they had seen the Otterton boys, “Baby otters missing, fox to blame, fox viciously beaten my otter mother, and then viciously beaten by his own mother.”

 “Calm down, Nick,” Judy repeated as she returned to his side. “It’s going to be okay.”  
 Nick grimaced at her and the rabbit wrapped an arm around him in pity, leading him out of the aisle. The two aimlessly walked through the store as they tried to figure out where the two would’ve run off.

            “Will you come to my funeral?” Nick asked pathetically as they walked.

Judy still had her arm around him and sent him a kindly look. “Sure, I’ll even write a eulogy.”

 “What will it say?”  
 “I can’t say it until you’re dead,” she replied.

“But if I dead I won’t hear it,” he pointed out.

“What you’re not going to be watching your own funeral, I always figured you’d be a very inappropriate ghost, whispering dirty comments in mammals’ ears.”

Nick chuckled, sounding only slightly hysterical, “I’m too scared to hear what Finnick would have to say over my cold corpse. But I am interested in what _you’d_ have to say.”

            Judy opened her mouth, whether to answer him or make a snide comment he didn’t know; because just then he spotted a soft brown tail disappear around a corner and Nick’s body tensed up. He charged toward the corner, Judy running after, so absorbed in the running they didn’t notice the Wet Floor sign until they had both tripped, Judy landing on her tail and Nick landing on his muzzle.

 “And this is why you shouldn’t leave your home and be social,” the fox growled as he picked himself up, rubbing his sore muzzle. He and Judy hurried to the corner just in time to see Oscar and Elijah standing in the middle of a random aisle, each holding a half eaten chocolate bar.

 “Nick,” Oscar smiled at the fox. “We don’t have to buy candy! They were giving out free sample chocolate at the front of the store!”

 Nick looked ready to faint out of sheer relief. Judy walked over to the two otters, “You shouldn’t have run off like that. You scared Nick half to death.”

The two otters looked at the floor guiltily before walking over to offer quiet apologizes to the fox.

 “Its okay boys,” Nick assured them, taking their paws in his, “Just don’t tell your mother. Come on, let’s go get that cereal I nearly broke my spine for.”  
 “So I _did_ hurt you when I fell on top of you,” Judy clarified as she followed them.

“I’m tough,” he replied, “I can take it.”

            Back at the cereal aisle Judy’s cart and the two boxes of Lucky Chomps were where she had left them and she picked one up, throwing it into the cart like a basketball. She then started to push the cart down the aisle, making it go at a sluggish pace that made Nick cringe. “Need some help?”

 “I am…an independent…bunny,” she panted, her arms shaking as she struggled to make the cart go faster.

Nick walked over and helped pushed the cart without permission, Oscar waddling over and started pushing it as well, Elijah following behind while carrying Nick’s own box of Lucky Chomps.

            “Would you have considered that another mystery solved?” Nick asked her as they pushed the cart toward the cash register.

Judy’s ears shot up, her eyes widening, she glanced up at him, “Does it? I mean…we didn’t have any clues we just walked around the store until we found them.”  
 “Yeah, but we didn’t know where they were, that’s a mystery, and once again I was technically a villain,” he grinned down at her, “You’re my hero.”

 Judy broke eye contact, her ears flaring red.

 Oscar smiled up at Nick, “Is she your girlfriend?”

 “Well…” Nick trailed off suggestively, earning a glare from the rabbit.

“No,” Judy answered the otter.

 “Why not?” Oscar asked and Nick looked at the bunny expectantly.

 Judy glanced up at Nick drolly before returning her attention to Oscar, “Because he doesn’t respect me.”

“I do to!” Nick insisted while the little otter shot him a glare, clearly he was already smitten with the rabbit.

“He’s also a big grudge holder,” Judy went on as if Nick hadn’t spoken. “And despite my attempts at apologizing he continued to be mean to me. So I really don’t understand how he thinks some cheesy pick up lines would make me… I don’t know what he wants me to do. Swoon, maybe?”

 “I wasn’t always mean to you,” Nick replied as the giraffe at the check out went over Judy’s few groceries. “I stood up for you, remember?”

“Yes, and I was grateful,” said Judy, placing her paws on her hips. “I even thought we might be able to be friends, but one slip up and we’re back to square one. And I have a hard time believing your ‘flirting’ isn’t going to play in some revenge scheme.”

 _Why did this dumb bunny have to be so smart?_ Though granted, this bet was more about stroking the old ego and proving he was as hot as Nick, rather than getting any kind of revenge. He kinda planned on never letting Judy know about the bet anyway. But to get that ego stroked he was going to have to swallow some pride.

 He shooed Oscar back to his brother’s side and stepped toward Judy, the rabbit taking a step back and he wondered if he looked dangerous, he tired to pull a reassuring smile. “Listen, Carrots I’m…” he swallowed, “I’m…S…so…this is harder than I thought it’d be.” Judy’s ears were perked and she looked at him, interest sparked her violet eyes. “I’msorry,” he finally managed. “You brought up a…touchy…subject and it caught me off guard…”

He noticed Judy’s eyes soften just a smidge, “Apology accepted.” She retrieved the cloth bag of groceries the giraffe offered her.

 “So…” Nick’s voice once again trailed off.

Judy looked at him, “So what?”

 He decided to shoot low, “Can we be friends now?”

 She frowned, “Nick, I sincerely appreciate the apology, never doubt that. But I still think you’re an ass who never showed any guilt for treating me like I’m a loose rabbit who’s slept with half the city. And I also still think you’re up to no good with this sudden friendliness.”

Nick’s ears drooped, that was pretty cynical-they were more alike than he had thought. But then Judy threw him a bone: “ _But_ I also think Rick is honest and he told me there was some good in you. If I start seeing it more often and if this twinge of suspicion fades…” She shrugged, “This is Zootopia, where anyone can be anything and anything can happen.”

 She waved goodbye to the otters and flashed Nick a smirk that reminded him of himself, and then she was gone.

            Nick smirked evilly as he paid for his Lucky Chomps, that bunny had just played right into his paws. To be invited to her bed he needed to first be invited to her friendship circle.

 

 


	23. Chapter 23

“O…M…Goodness…You _like_ him!”

Judy looked offended at such a suggestion, “I do not!”

It was the day after the Betty’s Graze and Grow and Judy had told her friends about her conversation with Nick, including the whole ‘ _maybe we could be friends’_ thing.

“Then why did you encourage his behavior?” Fru Fru asked teasingly, sitting on her friend’s knee.

“Can I claim temporary insanity?” Judy asked.

 Fru and Ben chuckled at each other. “You know, Benny, I think she actually appreciated all those cute lines Nick kept telling her.”

 “I concur, Fru,” Clawhauser replied, hiding his smile behind his paws.

 “Are either of you listening to me?” Judy demanded, “I just felt bad for him, besides I’m a nice girl I naturally can’t kick mammals into the dirt…figuratively at least.”

            Fru and Ben still smirked at her knowingly but before Judy could try and defend herself further a white wolf walked up to them, carrying flyers in his arms. “Hey, freshman.”

 Judy had seen the wolf around, she was pretty sure he was a junior named Gary. He offered them each a flyer. “What’s this for?” Clawhauser asked.

“My friend Larry and I are starting a school morning talk show for our film class,” Gary pointed to a dark gray and white wolf who was also handing out flyers. “We’re gonna host our first episode after Halloween, hope you’ll watch it.” He hurried off to spread the news to the rest of the courtyard.

 Judy looked at the flyer, it mentioned it would be showing on the school’s TVs (which means they didn’t really have a choice in watching it), they would be talking about events happening in school, charities, sport events, any troubles the school could be happening, and they’d even have guest stars (i.e. other students and staff), and they called their show-

 “Gary and Larry in the Morning,” Fru Fru read aloud. “Why are their musical notes surrounding it?”  
 “I think you’re supposed to sing it,” Judy answered.

Clawhauser tried to do just that, “ _Gary and Larry in the morning_.”

 “Sounds cute,” the shrew stated but then her eyes bulged, “Oh my God! Halloween! That’s right!” She looked to her friends, “We have to get costumes for the party!”

“There’s a party?” Judy asked.

Fru nodded enthusiastically, “The school hosts a big high school Halloween party, and they even get a haunted house and zombie walk together. It’s supposed to be super fun!”

Judy smiled, “We’ll do that as soon as possible, but remember Fru today’s the auditions for Zoosies.”

 “Oh that’s right!” the shrew squealed, “Gosh, there’s so much on my plate these days.”  
 “You two are auditioning?” Clawhauser asked.

Judy nodded happily, “Wanna come and audition too?”

The cheetah shook his head, “Oh no, no, I couldn’t act on a stage, but I’ll come and be you girls’ moral support.”

 “Fabulous, that’s the plan,” Fru nodded before shimming down Judy’s leg. “I’ll see you two after class; I have some business to attend to.”

 Judy watched the shrew walk away, “What kind of business?”

Clawhauser shrugged, “I have no idea; maybe she wants to restyle her hair?”

 

.

 

            Fru Fru was definitely what you call a hopeless romantic; her daddy always told her she got it from her mother. Being so she had a deep, deep need to play match maker. And she finally found a match to be made.

Judy may keep insisting she didn’t like Nick, and maybe she didn’t. But since they had fell out of a closet in her house she felt electricity between them, something she hadn’t sensed between her and Rick. And Judy had told her that, during their case, it had almost felt like they could be friends. The rabbit didn’t believe that anymore but Fru did. They just needed time to spend together, to talk, and she knew exactly where.

            She peeked around a corner and saw Nick at his locker, talking to that handsome, devilish rouge of a fennec fox. Fru flushed at the sight of him but quickly forced her attention back on Nick. She had a mission to accomplish.

“Psst,” she whispered, glancing around to make sure no other mammal was around. “Psst!”  
 Finnick’s ears twitched and he turned to look at her, his eyes widening slightly upon spotting her. Nick followed his glance and seemed even more surprised to see the shrew, “Hey, Fru Fru?”

 She waved her paw over, “Come here, I need to talk to you.”

Nick pointed at himself, “Me?”

She nodded, glancing over her shoulder, “Yes, now come here.”

 Nick obeyed, kneeling down to hear her better, Finnick walking over and standing behind his friend. “What’s up?”

 “You wanna win over Judy?” she asked.

The fox’s eyes widened, “Huh?”

 “Do you wanna win over Judy?” Fru asked.

Nick still looked confused but he nodded nonetheless, “Yeah.”

“Then I’ll help you,” she decided, “Think of me as your fairy godmother.”

 Nick shared a disbelieving look with Finnick before turning back to Fru, “Uh, not that I’m not grateful for the offer but… _why_?”

 Fru smirked knowingly at him, “I’ve seen the way you look at her.” She could’ve sworn she saw Nick’s ear reddened and for some odd reason Finnick glared at his friend, but she went on: “Judy says she’s giving you a chance to be her friend and I know just where you can start. Audition for Zoosies.”

Nick’s brow furrowed, “The musical?”  
Fru nodded eagerly, “Judy and I are auditioning, and if you could hear her sing you’d know she’s going to get a part. You get a part too and you can spend time with her during practice!”

 Nick smirked, “I like the way you think, Fru. Finnick and I will totally come and audition.”

 “Woah, woah,” his friend gaped at him, “When did I get dragged into this?”

 “You’ll audition too?” Fru clasped her paws together and looked at the smaller fox with shining eyes. If Finnick did then she would have a reason to hang out with him, add that with Nick wooing Judy and it was a win-win situation.

 Finnick looked uncomfortably at the beaming shrew then glanced at his smirking friend before finally releasing a heavy sigh, “Sure…not like I have anything better to do…”

 

.

 

            Zoosies was a musical about a group of young Zoosies (the “Extra, extra, read all about it” guys that always wave newspapers around) who start a strike when the price of newspaper rises. The main character was a clever lad named Jackal Kelly who yearns to leave New Yak and live in Santa Fur; he ends up leading the strike all the while making new friends and even falling in love.

 It sounded interesting enough to Nick as he scrolled through his phone during class, reading the plot while he had headphones stuck into his ears, listening to the music. He had already decided he was going to audition for the lead role, if he was going to take the time to be in the play he was going to be in the spotlight, that and Fru Fru had told him Judy was going to audition for Jackal Kelly’s love interest: Catherine Plumber. What made that even better was that the two characters shares a kiss not once but twice in this play.

His kissing skills would sweep that rabbit off her feet.

 

.

 

            St. Zoo’s auditorium was arguably one of the most impressive rooms of the school; it was at least one of the largest. As Judy walked in, surprisingly for the first time, she was surprised by the sheer girth, the ivory ceiling soared up above her head, dazzling the room with sphere-shaped lights; a giraffe wouldn’t even come close to touching the ceiling.

 The auditorium was oval shaped, one half was covered in rows and rows of red leather seats, and there was even a balcony with even _more_ rows of seats. And then there was the stage, the tiles tan-colored and looked freshly waxed, the curtains were made of purple velvet. And she knew backstage was full of props from old plays (the last one being Wizard of Ox according to Rick), and even dressing rooms for the cast members.

            A crowd had already appeared in the auditorium, sitting wherever they fancied, the number of mammals auditioning had Judy swallowing, her nerves on edge. She sat in a seat before the stage, Clawhauser and Fru sitting next to her. When the two noticed the bunny’s nervous expression they offered her reassuring smiles, showing they had no worries about their friend getting the part she wanted.

            Judy looked around the crowd, recognizing Gazelle and Wade (seeing the talented gazelle didn’t do anything for her nerves), Leodore, Bellwether, and Percy (the rabbit looked just as nervous and offered Judy a small wave when he noticed her, she returned it), she even spotted Bogo.

 Footsteps had Judy turning back to the stage where the drama teacher, an armadillo named Mrs. Armadio, walking up into the middle of the stage, Sven and Bobby Catmull following after her.

 “I heard Bobby and Sven are helping co-direct and handle the music,” Fru whispered to Judy.

            Mrs. Armadio smiled at the crowd before her, “Looks like we have plenty of talent for our year’s first play. As most of you should know the play this year is the musical Newsies. Since it’s a musical I will need everyone whose auditioning as part of the cast will need to sing a song, it can be a song from Newsies or something else as long as it’s appropriate. I will post the casting after Halloween. Now, if there are no questions let’s see some talent.”

            Meanwhile, as the auditions went underway Nick and Finnick were heading to the auditorium, Nick humming one of the Newsies songs under his breath, he had already managed to memorize a good bit of the musical. Finnick always joked that Nick could get into a college like Prideton if he had the motivation, Nick always replied that when he went to college it wouldn’t be to _just_ study.

He peered through the window of the auditorium’s double doors, noticing an antelope singing on stage, “The auditions have already started.”

“Oh, too bad, we’re late,” Finnick replied, turning to walk off, “Maybe next year.”

Nick grabbed his friend’s ear, stopping him in his tracks. “We’re not leaving.”  
 “Nick Wilde,” Finnick’s voice was a low growl, “Let my ear go right now before I bite that paw off.”

The red fox quickly released his friend and opened the auditorium door, crouching low to not be a distraction, Finnick following after, having not have to crouch in the slightest. As the antelope finished screeching Nick glanced around the rows of seats and spotted a familiar pair of velvety ears. He smiled to himself as Judy stood up and made her way to the stage, her body tense with nervousness.

 Nick snuck over toward the row where Fru and Clawhauser sat; the cheetah had his eyes on Judy as she climbed up onto the stage but Fru noticed Nick and smiled at him and Finnick excitedly. She gave them a thumbs up and Nick returned it.

            “I’m Judy Hopps,” she introduced, keeping her eyes on the far wall of the auditorium, “I’m auditioning for the role of Catherine Plumber, and I’ll be singing her part of the song _Something to Believe In_.”

She cleared her throat and started the first verse: “ _Til the moment I found you, I thought I knew what, love was_ …”

Nick’s eyes widened. Wow, Fru Fru hadn’t been lying, Judy could _sing_. He glanced at the shrew who lifted her brow in an ‘I told you so’ way. Nick smirked before moving to sit behind Mrs. Armadio and her two co-directors, Finnick staying where he was. The armadillo and Bobby Catmull were listening to Judy with rapt attention, but Sven noticed Nick. The fox smiled at the reindeer and Sven gave him a look that said he knew _exactly_ why Nick was here.

He focused his attention back on Judy’s singing, “ _Something to believe in, for even a night. One night maybe be forever, but that’s alright, that’s all right_.”

Her nervous tension had vanished as she sang, a smile lifting her lips. All the while Nick pondered, today wasn’t about impressing Judy, there would be time for that, today was about impressing the armadillo in front of him. And he knew just the way, after all _Something to Believe In_ was a duet.

 “ _I have something to believe in_ ,” Judy was finishing her first half of the song, “ _Now that I know you believed in me_.”

Nick jumped to his feet and immediately started to sing Jackal’s part, starling a few mammals sitting around him: “ _We were never meant to meet, and then we meet, who knows why_.”

Judy’s eyes bulged in terror upon seeing him but Nick was looking down at Mrs. Armadio, who was watching him with intrigued surprise as was Bobby and Sven. Everyone stayed silent as Nick sang the lyrics, Fru Fru grinning at him while Clawhauser looked on impressed; Finnick rolled his eyes at his friend’s smug expression.

 “ _And if I’m gone tomorrow, what was ours still will be_ ,” Nick slung his arms around Armadio and Bobby as he finished up his part, “ _I have something to believe in now that I know you believed in me_!”

 Once finished he flashed his most charming grin at the drama teacher who was looking at him with surprise (even Bobby was slack-jawed), “Hi, I’m Nick Wilde. But you can call me Jackal Kelly.”


	24. Chapter 24

It was Halloween night, and everyone was getting ready for St. Zoo’s night time shindig.

Nick had dressed as the almost as charming as himself sci-fi character, Ham Solo. Rick decided on his favorite adventurous professor, Indeerna Jones. The two were ready to head to St. Zoo, but unfortunately their mother wasn’t ready to let them go yet.

            “Mom, you’ve taken, like, a hundred pictures already,” Nick sighed, his shoulders slumped. Amelia was taking numerous pictures of their sons in their costumes, Rick was giving her a patient smile but Nick could tell even _his_ tolerance was running thin.

“Shush,” Amelia replied, “Rick’s going to college and you _never_ dress up for Halloween anymore, I want to _imprint_ this night into my soul.”

Rick gave his brother a suspicious look, “It _is_ weird Nick suddenly wants to go to a Halloween party, just like it’s weird how he’s trying to be a star in a _musical_.”

“Mom, Rick’s being suspicious again!” Nick whined, pointing childishly at his older brother.

 “Rick,” Amelia spoke, checking out the photos she had already taken on her camera. “I love you and respect your opinion on things, but it’s been years since Nick has done something social please don’t spoil it for me.”

 Rick sighed, “Yes, Mom.”

 “Good, now come over here so we can all take a selfie together and _then_ I’ll let you cutie-patooties go.”

 Nick and Rick shuddered in unison. “We’ll take a picture with you,” Nick said, “As long as you _never_ say the word cutie-patootie again.”

 

.

 

            Judy checked herself over in the mirror, her outfit was kind of tight but she’d be fine, she wore a black, sleeve-less top, red leather jeans, and a silver rosemary was around her neck, she completed the look with a small wooden stake that she tied onto her belt. She was Bunny the Vampire Slayer. “And if they ever remake that show I could totally be the new Bunny,” she said to herself.

 She grabbed a small black purse she had decided to bring along and dashed down the steps of her uncle and aunt’s house, they had just left to take their children trick or treating.

As Judy headed toward St. Zoo in the darkening evening she pulled out her phone to text her friends, they were already at the school and waiting for her.

            As she reached St. Zoo she saw some of the school’s lights on for the party, toward the back of the school (that was a huge swath of trees, practically a forest) they had decorated for the zombie walk/haunted trail. Judy knew that a half of the school was decorated as a haunted house and she could _not_ wait to check it out.

Smiling to herself as the holiday excitement sent adrenaline through her veins, Judy dashed down to the school’s entrance, some students were already making their way inside and she spotted Clawhauser and Fru Fru waiting for her at the door.

 Fru wore a pretty blue dress and crown, deciding to come as one of her favorite movie princesses Cinderelephant.

Meanwhile Clawhauser had made up his costume; he wore the black cape and plastic fangs of a vampire but also had a shirt with a doughnut on it: he was a doughnut vampire that sucked the jelly out of the delicious sweets.

            The cheetah let out a whistle when he spotted Judy, making the rabbit giggled as she hurried to her friends’.

“You look so cute,” Fru greeted.

“So do you,” Judy smiled at her.

 “Okay girls, whose ready to have a night we’ll never forget?” Clawhauser asked.

Judy and Fru Fru raised their paws up.

 

.

 

            The cafeteria had been set up for the dance, tables moved to the corners of the room to give mammals dancing space. Booths decorated with night colored cloth, plastic bats hung from the ceiling, jack o lanterns placed on tables to serve as candles. There was a very long table topped with Halloween treats and a giant bowl of pumpkin punch. Bobby Catmull even set up a DJ corner and was currently blasting Monster Mash by Bearis Pickett.

            Nick currently stood next to an empty booth with his brother watching Finnick (who had dressed as a punk rocker) trying to wrangle in Honey who was decked out in a Ghost Busters outfit and was currently on the look out for the supernatural.

“Is she being serious?” Rick asked his brother, watching the badger. “I can never read her.”

“At this point it’s either or,” Nick replied, his arms crossed as Honey checked under a booth, the two beavers sitting there gave her an odd look. “Finnick and I have just learned to roll with it.”

 “Right,” Rick replied, glancing over Nick’s head. The older fox spotted something that made his eyes widen before his lips turned up into a tender smile. Nick turned to see what his brother was looking at and spotted Judy walking into the cafeteria, her friends flanking her.

Nick’s throat went dry and he felt his jaw drop at least an inch. _Who told that bunny she could wear tight leather!?!_ Because Nick really wanted to personally thank them.

 Clawhauser immediately headed to the snack bar, his eyes on the many different kinds of candy on display. Fru Fru, wearing an expensive looking dress, heading off toward Nick, Judy had apparently decided to follow her smaller friend and went after the shrew. The rabbit halted in her steps when she spotted the two fox brothers and by her expression she was clearly wishing she had followed Clawhauser.

 “Hi, Nick, hi, Rick,” Fru Fru greeted the two Wilde brothers.

Rick politely smiled down at her and Nick winked, “Yo, Your Majesty.”

 She giggled in good humor before turning around, her eyes trailing over the many students in the cafeteria. Her eyes sparkled when she spotted Finnick who had his face buried in his paw as Honey was checking her ‘ghost’ radar.

 “Your Prince Charming is a little busy right now,” Nick told her as Judy stepped up to her friend’s side.

He smiled at the rabbit, “Hello, Catherine Plumber. Are you excited for us playing love interest in Zoosies? Because _I’m_ excited.”

 Rick gave his brother a weird look that Nick ignored, the last thing he needed right now was for his brother to learn about the bet.

Judy held up a finger, “First off, Mrs. Armadio hasn’t listed the cast yet so you don’t _know_ if you’re going to be Jackal Kelly. Second off, for tonight I am not Catherine or Judy, I am Bunny the Vampire Slayer.”  
 Nick held up a finger of his own, “First off, you are in some serious denial if you think I _won’t_ get Jackal Kelly. Second off, okay!”

            “Good, now if you’ll excuse me I have a donut vampire to stake,” she said in a joking tone, she offered Rick a shy smile before turning and hurrying after Clawhauser. Fru Fru waved to Nick before scampering after her friend.

Nick frowned at his brother, “Yet she still smiles at you.”

Rick returned Nick’s frown, “Why do you want her to smile at you?”

 “I’m trying to turn over a new leaf,” Nick replied with a superior lift of his chin. He turned around to help Finnick with Honey but someone was already standing before him.

“ _Holy hell_!” Nick screeched, flailing to the ground in terror.

            Standing before him and Rick was a tall deer-like animal, its head a rotting skull with red eyes, its back arched and its ribs showing, arms abnormally long and ending in sharp cloven hooves, and Nick couldn’t help but notice the blood-stained antlers.

 “Don’t freak out,” Winter was suddenly there, stepping in front of the monster, “Don’t freak out!”

 “Too late!” Rick snapped, his paw over his heart, apparently the creature had scared some years off his life as well.

 “It’s Sven,” Winter quickly explained, “He’s a wendigo.”

 Nick scrambled to his feet and looked the costume over, it was incredibly well-made to the point that it was also incredibly creepy and he found himself taking a step back.

“That’s a…very good costume, Sven,” Rick told the reindeer, looking uncomfortable. At least Nick wasn’t the only one.

“He made it,” Winter explained, “He takes his holidays very, _very_ seriously.”

 Out of the mask came a spine tingling chuckle followed by an even more disturbing slurping sound.

 “…So what are you supposed to be, Winter?” Nick turned his eyes to the artic fox. She was wearing a ice blue kimono decorated with a pattern of swirling snowflakes, she wore blue eyeliner and her fur was brushed extra carefully, her fur soft and almost seemed to glow in the dim lighting.

“I’m a geisha,” Winter answered, placing a paw over her chest with a pretty smile.

“You look nice,” Rick told her.

“Thank you.” She turned to Sven, “Alright, hun, let’s go terrify some other animals.”

  The reindeer nodded eagerly, letting out another eerie giggle before following his friend away.  Nick glanced at his brother, “Well that was traumatically horrifying.”  
Rick shuddered, “Agreed.”

 

**.**

            Bellwether sat on the edge of a booth, a cup of punch in her hoof as she watched Judy playfully chase Clawhauser around, going on about how she had to slay the jelly-sucking vampire.

She looked across the cafeteria and saw Bogo suffering the snickers of his teammates, she grinned evilly. Apparently the cape buffalo had lost some sort of bet with the other jocks and his punishment was coming to the party dressed like a clown. And she was enjoying it far more than what was morally right.

 Sitting beside her was Leodore; the two had arrived in matching costumes: they were the King and Queen of Hearts. Percy had dressed as the White Rabbit, having gone so far as to die his brunet fur white and was currently munching on some treats from the snack table.

            Bellwether took another sip of her punch, it tasted weird but she was getting used to the flavor, even kind of liked it.

Leodore chuckled at Bellwether’s smirk, “Someone’s having a good time.”

Bellwether giggled evilly, watching Bogo get nudged by Fangmeyer who was dressed as Freddy Cougar, “This is quickly becoming the best night of my life.”

“And it just started,” Lionheart grinned.

“I’m going to have a good time,” she declared, taking a larger sip of her funny flavored pumpkin punch.

            A sudden shriek had the two looking to their left to see Charlotte (dressed as a feminine pirate) jumping away from the freaky creature they both knew it was Sven. Winter Storme jumped in between the two and quickly explained to Charlie who was under that home made mask. The cheetah gave her old childhood friend an exhausted look before drinking from her own cup of pumpkin punch.

“I heard he smothered her with pick up lines the other day,” Bellwether conversed with Leo; her head was starting to feel warm and fuzzy.

Leodore sighed in sympathy, “Poor guy, I know what never ending rejection feels like.”

Bellwether glanced at her friend, “You get rejected by yourself?”  
 “Keeps things interesting,” Leodore chuckled. “But my advances get rejected by _you_ all the time.”

 “I just get flustered by your flirting,” Bellwether admitted honestly, taking another sip from her punch.

Leodore looked at her, surprised by the admission. “Is that a fact?”

The sheep nodded, “You’re always calling me Lamb and nuzzling me like I’m your girlfriend or something. I’m a lady I get flustered.”

 Leodore’s gaze went from her to the almost empty cup in her hoof, “Dawn…let me see that punch.” He gently pried it away from her and sniffed it, recognizing a tinge that wasn’t pumpkin. He looked up at the punch bowl where plenty of mammals were pouring themselves a drink. “Oh my God…”

 

.

 

            Gazelle walked into the cafeteria, dressed up as a sexy devil, with a red top that showed her mid-riff and a skirt that reached her thighs, she completed the look by spray painting her horns red and wearing little bat-shaped wings behind her shoulders. She smiled around at the party that was underway before glancing over her shoulder, “You coming, Wade?”  
 “Absolutely not,” the wolf’s voice came from the shadows of the hallway.

Gazelle rolled her eyes, “Come on, you look great.”

 “I have never seen anything more accurate than you dressed as the devil,” the wolf replied.

 “Please,” Gazelle begged him, “We made a deal.”

 After a long silence the wolf let out a deep sigh and stepped into the cafeteria. He was wearing a white silk shirt and shorts, a halo hanging above his head and feathery wings on his shoulders.

 Gazelle bit her lip to keep from laughing at the wolf’s suffering expression, “You make a very sexy angel, Mr. Jones.”

He glared at her but didn’t say anything. The singer was clever, appearing at his aunt’s store yesterday with autographed CDs for him and his sisters; she had pulled out the dramatics and told his sisters she really wished Wade would escort her to the Halloween party. Of course Jenna and Lily had taken her side and _ordered_ him to take Gazelle to the dance, and Wade hadn’t been able to say no to his sisters since the day they were born.

            Gazelle led him farther into the room, Wade feeling the stares burning into his fur and he squirmed, wanting to run out of here and go…somewhere else. Gazelle spotted Winter, wearing a pretty kimono, standing next to something he really didn’t want to get near.

“You look so pretty,” Gazelle and Winter told each other, smiling at their costumes. The arctic fox looked at Wade and her eyes flashed with both surprise and amusement.

“Doesn’t he look nice?” Gazelle asked her friend, smiling at Wade proudly, he resisted the urge to growl at her.

 “Uh…very…nice,” Winter replied.

The gazelle turned to the giant deer thing standing next to Winter, “And you, Sven! You look fantastic!”

 The reindeer stayed eerily quiet and Gazelle frowned, casting a look at Winter who shrugged her shoulders, “He scared, Charlie. I don’t know what he thought was going to happen. I mean, would _you_ fall into those rotting abnormal arms.” She indicated to the limbs of the costume, “No offense, Sven.”

 “Do you want to trade costumes?” Wade asked the reindeer. “Please?”

 “Oh no you don’t,” Gazelle giggled, “I’m going to enjoy the sight of those beefy arms for as long as possible.”

 Wade lifted his arm to study it. Whose beefy arms was she talking about? “I’m going to go get a drink.”

 Leodore had been walking past when Wade spoke and he stopped in front of the four, “I would not do that.”

 “Why not-” Winter began but stopped when she noticed Bellwether sitting in the lion’s paw. She was playing with the edges of his mane, a dopey smile on her face as she hummed along with the song playing through Bobby Catmulll’s speakers. “What’s wrong with her?”

 “I have reason to believe someone spiked the punch,” Leodore glanced down at the sheep as he walked off.

“Oh no…” Winter breathed, her ears falling flat in horror and her eyes widening.

Gazelle’s brow knit, “What’s wrong, Winter?”

 “Charlie had three cups of that punch.”

 

.

 

            Judy, Fru Fru, and Clawhauser sat in a booth together, sharing a pile of candy the cheetah had taken from the snack table. Ben was currently chewing on a chocolate bar while watching Gazelle and Winter talk to Charlie who was swaying on her feet.

 “For the record,” Ben spoke to his friends, “I still wished I had dressed up as Gazelle.”

 Judy and Fru Fru shared a look, still raw from how they narrowly dodged that bullet. “But lots of animals dress up as Gazelle for Halloween,” Judy told him. “But no one else will be dressed as a Doughnut Vampire.”

“I guess,” Clawhauser shrugged, “But I think the costume everyone’s gonna remember is Sven’s.”

 The two girls shuddered, not even wanting to glance around and look for the reindeer in his creepy wendigo costume.

            “But are we not going to talk about Wade,” Fru Fru asked, her eyes on the wolf who as usual these days, was playing as Gazelle’s shadow. “I can’t believe he even came to the party let alone _dressed up_ , and as an angel no less.”

“I think it’s cute,” Judy smiled, “He’s kinda wrapped around Gazelle’s finger isn’t he?”

“Who isn’t?” Fru asked.

            Just then a couple of the teacher chaperones walked into the cafeteria, carrying three buckets that sloshed with water. Clawhauser smiled excitedly at the sight, “It’s time for the bobbing for apples challenge!”

Judy’s ears perked up, “Bobbing for apples?”  
Clawhauser nodded, “Wanna try it?”

 “Oh, yes,” Judy jumped out of the booth, “We played this all the time back at the Bunnyburrow Carrots Festival, I was champion three times running.”

 “But Bunnyburrow didn’t have me,” a new voice spoke up.

Judy glanced over her shoulder to see who had spoken and her ears drooped when she saw it was Nick, a smug smirk on his muzzle as usual. “Pardon?”  
 “Here in St. Zoo, _I’m_ the bobbing apple champion,” he informed her.

Judy’s brow rose and she smirked arrogantly, “Well then you’re about to be sorely disappointed Mr. Former Champion.”

She followed Clawhauser to where the buckets had been placed near the snack bar and the animals were lining up to start the challenge. Before Nick followed the two he glanced over at Fru Fru, the shrew gave him a thumbs up, he returned it.

            The challenge was set up to put two mammals against each other, whoever got an apple first moved on to the next mammal in line and so on. Judy and Clawhauser were near the end of the line and so they got to witness that Nick hadn’t been lying, as soon as it was his turn he went through several other students. The closer it came to her turn the more determined Judy became to beat the fox, if just to see the smug look on his face vanish.

Clawhauser went before her, as he desperately tried to bite into an apple, splashing the water over the edge of the bucket, the droplets hitting Judy feet who took a step back with a chuckle. She glanced over to Nick who saw the fox had already gotten an apple, holding it between his jaws. He was watching Clawhauser, waiting for the cheetah to notice he had won.

 “Ben,” Judy spoke up and the cheetah pulled his now soggy head out of the water and looked up at her. Judy indicated to Nick who pulled the apple out of his mouth, “A valiant effort, Clawhauser.”

Ben shrugged good naturedly and stepped away from the bucket, accepting a towel one of the chaperones offered him.

            Judy stepped up to the vacant bucket and Nick smiled haughtily at her, “I feel like I should get a reward for when I beat you.”

 “Don’t count your litter until they’ve arrived,” Judy replied, kneeling before her bucket.

Nick’s smugness only intensified, “Wow, I already got you talking about our future litter. I’m better at this than I thought.”

Judy rolled her eyes, keeping her ears drooped and out of his sight so he wouldn’t see that they had flushed red. She turned her attention to the apples before her, the chaperone overlooking the contest told them to start and Nick plunged his head into the water. Judy calmly studied the apples, finding the smallest one and slammed her nose into it, ignoring the sting as she pinned it down to the bottom of the bucket, keeping it in place as her incisors dug into the apple’s flesh and she quickly brought her head back to the surface. Breathing through her nose she felt the weight of the apple in her mouth, a second after she had straightened up Nick pulled his head out of the bucket, having his own apple between his fangs. His eyes widened when he spotted Judy with her own prize and looked to the chaperone.

 “We have a new champion,” the deer stated, placing a small pumpkin shaped crown atop Judy’s head, the prize for winning. The rabbit took a bite of her apple and munched it while sending Nick a triumphant look. The fox looked both annoyed and impressed.

            “Way to go, Judy!” Clawhauser, who had been watching her along with a small crowd, congratulated her, pulling his friend into a hug.

Judy grinned into the cheetah’s soft stomach as a loud voice spoke up, getting the attention of the entire cafeteria: “The haunted trail is now open!”


	25. Chapter 25

Judy picked up Fru Fru and placed her on her shoulder as the two girls headed out of the cafeteria and outside to where the haunted trail began. It was a dusty path; a fog machine was hiding behind some bushes somewhere so the trail and the woods before them were thick with fog. Judy heard there would be animals dressed as zombies and other such monsters lurking the woods to both scare the St. Zoo students and to make sure no one got lost.

The two had invited Clawhauser but the cheetah had decided to stay behind and enjoy some more candy, Fru Fru warned him not to eat too much. However the girls did get did get some company who had followed them out to the trail.

That some company was Percy who didn’t want to hang out with Lionheart and Bellwether when the latter was acting as weird as she was, “If I didn’t know any better,” Percy said as he walked beside Judy. “I would’ve sworn she was tipsy.”

 Judy sent him a droll look, “Dawn Bellwether getting tipsy on school property? She didn’t even drink at Bogo’s party.”

            “Hey, Carrots, over here!”

Nick was waving her over to him, his brother and friends standing close by. “Come walk with us!”  
 “Sure,” Fru called out to him before Judy could reply. The rabbit sighed and walked over to the fox, Percy following after her.

Nick grinned down at her, “Feel free to hold my paw if you get scared.”

She smirked up at him, “And if you run back to the school screaming I won’t hold it against you…too much.”

Rick and Finnick snorted in amusement and Nick sent the two an irritated look before the group started on their way down the trail. Percy walking close to Judy as she was the only one he really knew of the group, (though mainly because Honey was sniffing around for ghosts and it was mildly disturbing the freshman).

“Have you ever been on a haunted trail?” he asked Judy as they walked through the fog.

“I went to a couple back in Bunnyburrow,” Judy replied, “Though I feel like more effort has been put into this one.” She looked over to Finnick, “Have you been on one of these before?”

 “Nope,” the fennec fox replied bluntly, “And neither did Nick in case he tries to lie to get a chance to talk to you.”

 Nick glared at his friend from over his shoulder, “I don’t need to take lip from a guy who has to jump to give me a high four.”

 If looks could kill Finnick would have murdered Nick then and there.

 “The haunted trails are pretty fun,” Rick spoke up, looking to Judy. “As long as Nick and Finnick behave we should have a good time.”

 Judy looked away from the older fox, she still felt awkward around him. But if anyone noticed they didn’t speak up about it.

 “I make no promises,” Nick informed his brother instead.

Finnick glanced at Honey who was stalking around the trees, her eyes narrowed and roaming. “Should we be worried? I mean, she’s attacked animals before.”

Judy and Fru’s eyes widened and Percy stepped closer to his fellow bunny (an action that didn’t go unnoticed by Nick’s narrowed eyes).

“Not on purpose,” Finnick quickly assured them as they continued to walk. “The last animal she attacked was last Halloween and he was dressed as this monster from a horror movie we watched the night before.”

“In hindsight that was technically our fault,” Nick spoke up, “Letting her watch a scary movie based off true events. She did do a number on that poor rhino though.”

Rick and Percy sent cautious looks to the honey badger that appeared to not have heard a word her friends had said.

 “Can you put me down, Juju,” Fru Fru requested of her friend and the rabbit complied. Fru Fru scampered over to Finnick’s side and walked with him, the fennec fox slowing his pace so the shrew wouldn’t have to run after him.

 “I like your costume,” she told Finnick, smiling up at him.

“Thanks,” he replied quietly as the trees started to thin out and the group were walking into a fog slathered field.

Fru started to twirl around and hold her dress between her paws as she walked, obviously trying to get Finnick to notice her own costume.

Finally the fennec fox glanced back down at her, “Your dress is nice.”

Fru Fru’s smile grew and Judy bit her lip to keep from giggling. She imagined the senior had a soft spot for her friend, Judy had noticed how he didn’t hang out with animals smaller than himself so it was probably a nice change of pace.

            Nick suddenly stopped in his tracks, looking around the foggy clearing with his nose twitching. “Did you guys see that?”

Rick glanced around, “See what?”

“I thought I saw something…” Nick’s eyes narrowed as he tried to see through the fog. “Didn’t they say this was a zombie-” Nick suddenly let out a yelp, jumping in the air and startling the others. “Something grabbed my tail!”

Judy’s ears pricked up as she heard rustling surrounding them along with ghostly moaning and groaning.

 Honey suddenly dashed into the middle of the group, her shoulders stiff and her hackles rose, “It’s the undead come to eat the flesh off our bones!”  
 “Honey I want to remind you that these zombies are actors in costumes,” Finnick quickly told his friend while Fru Fru held the edge of his shirt in her paw.

 “But here’s the game,” Nick spoke up, he was talking to everyone but his eyes were on Judy. “A zombie gets you and you lose.”

Catching the challenging gleam in his emerald gaze Judy straightened up with determination. She really did enjoy a good competition.

            A second later fingers brushed across her ear and Judy jumped forward, out of the fingers grasp, nearly knocking down Percy as she did so.

“Head to the trees!” Honey ordered the group as the moaning and groaning grew louder in volume.

 Judy heard the running footsteps of the others and looked through the fog, trying to find her friend. “Fru Fru?”

“I got her!” Finnick called out from somewhere. “If I were you rabbit I’d run!”

Judy obeyed because she knew what the fennec fox meant; if she lost this easily Nick wouldn’t let her live it down. She jogged through the fog, brushing past bodies but she didn’t know if they were a friend or the undead. Judy made it to the trees and kept running until the fog finally cleared. But before she could skid to a halt a shape jumped out of the bushes, nearly colliding into her. Suddenly she was nose to nose with Nick.

 “Carrots,” he greeted in delight, his breath that carried the scent of blueberries and chocolate wafted over her mouth and she quickly took several steps back. “Did you get bit?” he asked, looking her over, “I can give you a physical exam if you’re not sure, my brother _is_ a junior doctor.”

 “I made it out unscathed,” she replied, ignoring his joke. “What about you?”

He turned in a full circle as if the zombies would’ve actually left a bite mark before turning back around to face her, “I made it out easy enough. I _am_ Ham Solo after all.”

Judy rolled her eyes before looking over his shoulder, “Did you see anyone else?”  
 “No,” he replied, burying his paws in his pockets. “As far as I know we’re the only ones that survived the zombie attack. Do you know what that means?”

 “What?” Judy indulged him, her ears stood erect as she listened for any other animals that could be near, so far all she heard was the wind and Nick’s obnoxious voice.

He looked at her very seriously, “If we’re the only survivors that means we’ll have to repopulate the earth.”

 Judy looked at him, silent, until the fox’s lips pulled up into a grin and he laughed.

“Are you done now, joker?” she asked.

“For now,” he replied after his bout of laughing ended. He looked around the forest then, his smirk disappearing, “I think we’re lost.”

“We’re not lost,” Judy tried for optimism as she started to walk in a random direction, “We’ve just misplaced the trail.”

 “I guess that is how an optimist would word it,” he replied, following after her.  

 

.

 

            Meanwhile the others had ended up farther down the trail, the zombies having ceased chasing after them (they were instructed not to chase any students past the clearing). Rick leaned against a tree as he caught his breath, Finnick was standing beside him; his ears twitching as he looked behind him at the fog-covered trail that hid the clearing and zombies. Fru was sitting atop his head, Finnick having placed her there when the attack began. Honey was climbing up a tree, for what purpose Rick didn’t know.

 “Did you see Nick or Judy?” he asked Finnick.

Fru Fru answered, “I saw them run away into the trees.”  
 “At least someone listened to my advice!” Honey called down from the branch she was crouching on.  
 “ _You_ didn’t even listen to your advice!” Finnick yelled up to her.

“So my brother is alone with Judy in the woods,” Rick clarified and then buried his face in his paws. “He’s going to do something stupid, isn’t he?”  
 “Yes,” Finnick exhaled a suffering sigh.

 “I think they’ll be fine,” Fru spoke up sanguinely. “A romantic walk through the woods is just what they need to get along.”

 Rick gave her a weird look, “Sure, Fru, whatever you say-Honey get off that tree before you fall! What are you even doing!?”

 “I can see the field from up here,” she called down to them. “I’m looking for Percy.”

 “Oh right,” Finnick spoke up, “He was with us.”

 “I see him!” Honey declared. “A zombie otter has him and is…tickling him…he’s laughing…such savagery. It’s too late to stage a rescue mission.”  
 “Get down here, Honey,” Finnick ordered. “We need to find Nick before he does something stupid.”  
 Honey slid down the tree with practiced ease, “Aye, aye.”

 

.

 

            “Really guys I’m fine,” Charlie insisted to Sven and Winter. The reindeer and arctic fox were walking with her as they entered the school’s haunted house. It started with a dark web-infested hallway, lit only by faint red light bulbs hanging from the ceiling that barely did anything to break the darkness. But being a feline the dimness hardly bothered her.

 “You are not fine,” Winter replied as Charlie stumbled slightly. “We’re telling you that punch was spiked. Aren’t we, Sven?”

“Yes,” the reindeer answered in his slimy and creepy wendigo voice.

“I only had three cups,” Charlie tried to assure them as the two each held one of her arms, leading her further into the hallway. Eerie sound effects suddenly blasted from the ceiling, screeching and pleading that made Winter yelp, her fur standing on end.

 “I _hate_ haunted houses,” the fox moaned, stepping closer to her friends.

Charlie gave her a sympathetic look, “Do you want us to go back?”

“I don’t want to keep you two from having a good time,” Winter replied in an apologetic tone.

 “We’ll be fine on our own, won’t we Sven?” Charlie asked the reindeer.

He was silent for a moment, and if Charlie hadn’t had three cups of punch she would’ve realized she just agreed to spend time with the reindeer.

 “Yeah,” Sven replied, momentarily dropping his wendigo voice, “Sure. No problem.”  
 Hiding a small smile Winter turned around and dashed back down the hall before Charlie got wise.

            The cheetah, feeling slightly unbalanced, grabbed onto Sven’s shoulder noticing that he tensed under her grip, she chuckled, assuming his rigid posture was because of his fear of the haunted house. “Don’t be scared, you’re the freakiest thing in The Zoo.”

Sven made an incoherent noise and kept walking, Charlie’s paw remaining on his shoulder as they went.

 The hall led them to the nurse’s office and Charlie saw someone sitting in the nurse’s chair, she recognized it as St. Zoo’s actual eccentric hippo nurse, Miss Bubbleworth (the counselor’s single sister). Bubbleworth was wearing a blood-stained nurse’s outfit and scribbling messily on a clipboard, a canine skull on her desk. On the simple cot across from her was a jackal that was tied to the cot by leather restraints, he was struggling in a desperate attempt to free himself, his clothes splattered with blood.

 “Help me!” he begged Charlie and Sven in a high pitched screech. “ _Help me_!”  
 Charlie shuddered as they kept walking, “Creepy.”

 “But not as creepy as me, right?” Sven asked; his spine-chilling wendigo voice was back.

“Of course,” she replied, and then let out a breathy laugh as he leaned forward and nuzzled the mask against her neck.

They continued on their way to the gym, stepping inside she saw there was a crowd of strangers all dressed in tattered and torn dresses and tuxes. Charlie released Sven’s shoulder and stepped forward, curious, she realized the crowd was a bunch of dressed up mamequins. Studying the face of an antelope she couldn’t help being a little unnerved by the blank, marble eyes and took a step back, only to bump into Sven who was just behind her.  

 “Sorry,” the reindeer murmured but didn’t move away.

Charlie felt his heartbeat pounding against her back, “No problem.”

            They stayed still for a moment, enjoying each other’s warmth before Charlie pulled away and grabbed his arm, “Let’s go check out the locker rooms.”  
 She led him toward the boys’ locker room, sensing the reindeer’s confusion she explained: “This is my only chance to check it out.”  
 Stepping inside the corners of the locker room were covered in cobwebs, the sinks and showers running, the water murky and unclean, and the walls looked to be molding.

 “Aw, darn,” Charlie pouted, releasing Sven to place her paws on her hips. “They didn’t decorate it.”

Sven let out a sarcastic laugh, “You’re hilarious.”

 

.

 

            Back in the cafeteria Gazelle and Wade sat across from each other in a booth, sharing a small bowl of candy. They sat in silence, Wade shifting through the bowl to find his favorite types of candy while Gazelle simply picked up whatever her hoof first touched, keeping her eyes on the rest of the students that were still in the room. Mainly Lionheart and Bellwether who were having a quiet conversation, Dawn was waving her arms around as she spoke in what appeared to be an eccentric manner. The lion was watching her with an openly tender look that Gazelle knew he could get away with what with Dawn being too tipsy to notice.

 Lionheart leaned forward and whispered something into the sheep’s ear and she laughed loudly, causing him to grin triumphantly.

 During her shameless gawking Gazelle reached out to grab another sweet only to brush against Wade’s paw as he reached for the same one. She turned to the wolf just as he rapidly pulled his paw back.

 “Sorry,” she said.

“It’s fine,” he mumbled quickly. He picked up the candy they had both been reaching for, a round sphere of butterscotch, and offered it to her. “You can have it.”

Instead of taking the treat Gazelle reached out and grabbed Wade’s paw, as expected the wolf tried to pull away but her grip tightened and his ears pressed flat against his skull.

 “Gazelle…” his voice was a soft growl but she took note that he had stopped struggling.

 “I’m just trying to figure out how you plan to go out in the world and get a job if you can’t even shake paws,” she said, keeping her eyes on his paw that still held the butterscotch.

 “I’ll get hired by someone with a crippling fear of germs,” he half-joked.

Gazelle met his eyes, “Do _you_ have a crippling fear of germs?”

 “No,” Wade shook his head in an almost sad way. “Not of germs. Do you want the candy or not, otherwise I’m going to eat it.”

 “Go ahead,” Gazelle said, releasing his paw.

She watched Wade slowly chew the butterscotch before she spoke again, “Have you listened to that CD I gave you?”

Wade knit his brow, “No, your music isn’t really…my thing.”

“What’s your thing?” she asked, ignoring the disappointment she felt that he hadn’t listened to any of her songs. It made her feel arrogant, like he _needed_ to like her songs just because everyone else did, or maybe she just wanted to have Wade like _something_ about her.

 “I listen to indie music,” Wade replied. “I don’t think you’d know any of it.”  
 “Maybe I could-”

 “Gazelle!” Winter suddenly rushed into the cafeteria and hurried over to the singer with a big smile on her face.

 “What’s up?” Gazelle asked as the fox stopped before the booth.

 “Our reindeer’s luck has finally started to turn!” Winter gushed.

 

.

 

            “How are we still lost?” Judy demanded, turning a full circle, trees surrounding her on all sides. “I’ve seen this forest every day since I got here this forest is not that big!”

 Nick stood a few feet away, not nearly as perturbed as the rabbit. “Maybe we’re walking in circles?”

 “Wouldn’t that be my luck,” she muttered before choosing yet another random direction and started walking, Nick following after her.

“Now, now,” he said. “It’s like you said, we’re not lost. We just misplaced the trail.”

Judy didn’t comment, she was wondering if she should be worried that he wasn’t bothered by the fact that they were in the woods alone.

 They pushed through bushes and overlapping branches as they followed Judy’s makeshift path, feelings branches and twigs scrap against her fur and costume. The silence was starting to drive her crazy so, once they cleared the thick bushes, she tried for small talk: “Is your tail okay?”

 Nick blinked then glanced behind at the fluffy appendage, “Shouldn’t it be?”

“One of the zombies grabbed your tail,” she reminded him then smirked. “You screamed like a little girl.”

 Nick snorted and rolled his eyes, “To answer your question Carrots, my tail’s fine.” As if to prove it he lifted said tail and dragged it across her muzzle, making Judy jump back and nearly stumble. Nick’s humor left and he pulled his tail back to himself, holding it between his paws and studying it. Judy was thrown off by how soft Nick’s fur was and the weird tingle that went up her spine every time he touched her.

            “Rick’s more dedicated to grooming,” Nick said out of the blue, still examining his tail, picking a leaf out of the black fur at the tip.

She furrowed her brow at him, “Okay?”

He looked at her, “So his tail is softer than mine.”

That wasn’t true but Judy definitely wasn’t going to tell him that. “Your tail could be as soft as clouds and I still wouldn’t want you to flick it in my face.”

“Hm,” he hummed, releasing his tail and walking ahead of her.

 Judy frowned at his back, his relaxed and smug attitude having suddenly vanished. How was she supposed to know that he was sensitive about his tail?

 She followed after Nick as the fox started to push his way through another set of bushes with her right behind. Her ears pricked up when an unfamiliar sound split through the air and a second later wind rushed through her ears as she was suddenly shot up into the air. She and Nick let out surprised shouts before they realized what had happened.

 They were in a _net_ that was hanging off a thick branch from a tree.

Judy was sprawled over Nick’s stomach, her eyes wide as she took in what had just happened.

 “Carrots…” Nick finally spoke from under her. “Did we just get captured in a net?”  
 “Yes,” Judy nearly growled, trying to sit up but not being able to find her balance in the net. “And since you’re a junior I’m waiting for you to give me an answer.”

  “Okay, just because I’m the attractive older guy doesn’t mean I’m full of unfathomable wis-” Nick’s sarcastic sentence came to a stop and his eyes widened before narrowing in anger. “Those annoying, untalented, little…” his voice turned to incoherent angry mumbling.

 “What is it?”

“Last year our football team got into a huge prank war with a school not too far from here, turns out those guys like to take their pranks to the next level and booby-trapped these woods with nets and water balloon pranks, obviously we didn’t find them all.”

 Judy huffed and tried to sit up once again only to accidentally elbow Nick in the ribs. “Sorry,” she mumbled as he grunted in pain. She looked above their heads to the branch where the rope was thrown across it, following it she saw it ending toward the ground where it was tied around the base of the tree. She had an idea.

 “Stay still,” Judy ordered Nick. “I got an idea.”

“What’s your plan?” he asked. His eyes widened ever so slightly when Judy moved herself so she was facing him, her legs caging his hips.

 She sighed resignedly, “I’m going to try and bite through the net.”

He smirked, “Seriously?”

“Well I’d make you do it but you probably can’t move; you’re almost as big as the net.”

He shrugged agreeably and Judy stretched up to reach the top of the net, in doing so her chest hovered incredibly close to Nick’s face.

 “What are you doing,” the fox asked, his tone would’ve sounded flustered if he was capable of being so embarrassed.

“I just told you,” her voice came out in an annoyed snap. “I’m gonna try to bite through the net.” She grabbed the edge of the net and pulled it toward her; she used her buck teeth to bite into the rope and nearly gagged at the taste of dirt and dust. “It might take me a minute, just hold on.”

 “No it’s okay,” the fox said, she couldn’t see his expression but his voice was starting to sound a little breathless. “Take your time.”

 Judy tried to bite through the rope but no matter how much pressure she used the rope was too stiff and thick.

            And then a new voice spoke up: “Hey…guys…”

Judy and Nick looked down to the ground to see Flash dressed up as the superhero Flash, down on the ground, smiling lazily up at them.

“Flash, buddy,” Nick greeted in relief.

“What…are…you…”

“We got stuck up here,” Judy quickly explained, “Can you get us down?”

“Here…?”

 “Can you untie the rope, pal?” Nick asked, indicated to the base of the tree.

“All…alone…?”

 “We got separated from our friends,” Judy said, her voice getting tight in annoyance.

“Do…you…want…me to…get you…down?”

 “Yes, please,” Nick and Judy answered in unison.

As Flash headed to the base of the tree at a slug’s pace Judy met Nick’s eye. “I’m starting to think he has a very large sense of sarcasm,” Judy told him. “Larger than yours even.”

Nick snickered, looking down at the sloth, “I think he just has selective hearing. As long as _he’s_ talking no one else is saying a word.”

 Flash apparently knew his knots because as soon as he made it to the tree he pulled the knot loose and despite the time that took it wasn’t until it was too late that Nick and Judy realized their mistake.

 The net started to lower as the knot was being untied and the two waved theirs paws frantically, “FLASH WAIT!”

 The knot was undone and once again wind rushed through Judy’s ears as they fell to the ground in a painful heap.

 “Ow…ow…” Judy moaned, crawling out of the net. “That smarts. Nick?”

“You know what I think you guys?” Nick said as he forced himself to his feet. “I think I offended gravity in another life and now it’s out to make my life miserable.”

 “Stop being so dramatic,” she lightly scolded him and turned to Flash, “Where’d you even come from?”

 “Priscilla….and I…we’re walking…the…trail…when I…heard you…talk…” Flash answered.

Judy beamed, “You know where the trail is?”

 “Yes…follow…me…if you…want…to…that…is.”

            The two let the sloth lead them back to the trail where Priscilla (dressed as Anna from the movie Floatzen) was waiting for them. She smiled tenderly at Flash and took his paw as they continued down the trail, Nick and Judy following behind them.

 “Well, that was fun,” Nick tried for a conversation as they walked.

Judy glanced up at him, “Which part? Where we got chased by zombies, or when we got separated from the others, or when we got trapped in a _net_?”

“I found it all incredibly enjoyable,” Nick replied with a smile that showed off his white teeth.

 Judy rolled her eyes but her lips turned up into a smirk. Nick’s smile only grew upon noticing this.

            The four made it to side of the school, finding a door that led into the gym that was mercifully unlocked. Nick opened it up only to find pitch blackness, being a fox this didn’t bother him and he recognized the pool room. Judy stepped up to his side, pulling her phone out of her purse to use a flashlight. The pool room had its own little fog machine and Nick noticed the water in the pool looked suspiciously dark.

 Nick glanced over to Flash and Priscilla, “You two coming?”

Priscilla shook her head, “We are…not big…fans…of…haunted…houses…we will…go…around…”  
 Flash waved them goodbye, “Have…fun…you…two…”

 The two closed behind Nick and Judy and they stepped forward, in the darkness Nick noticed how Judy’s ears were pricked up and she looked a little on edge.

 He chuckled softly, “Feeling nervous, Fluff?”

“I don’t exactly trust you to be a gentlefox when you got me alone in a dark room,” she replied.

 Nick placed a paw over his chest, “You really have so little faith in me, Carrots?”  
She didn’t answer and Nick tried not to let the silence sting so much.

 “Haven’t you been in haunted houses before?” Nick asked her.

“Since Bunnyburrow has a lot of open country land we usually just stick to the trails,” she replied, shining her phone’s light over the pool. The water was red.

 “Nice,” Nick grinned appreciatively as he leered over the water.

 “If you like it so much then why don’t you take a dip?” Judy suggested.

 “It’s just food dye,” Nick pointed out. “It’s harmless.” He smirked at her; the phone’s light casting an eerie glow over his face. “Wanna go swimming in the dark, we could skinny dip yet still keep our modesty.”

 “You’re a fox,” Judy pointed out, “You can see in the dark.”

  He snickered, “Aw, come on, Bun Bun. Have some ‘fun’.”

 Judy pushed him, and despite her intention for it to only be a nudge Nick lost his balance and with flailing arms, stumbled into the pool. But not before grabbing Judy’s arm and dragging her down with him, her phone and purse falling to the floor as the room echoed with their loud splashes.

 Judy came up spluttering, glancing at her paw she saw the fur was red from the dye. Nick swam up to the surface, having a momentary coughing fit before giving Judy an affronted look. “You pushed me!”

“I didn’t mean to push you into the pool,” Judy began but then, quite suddenly, a bubble of mirth climbed up her throat and she giggled and the giggle turned into a loud laughter.

Nick’s eyes widened as he watched the rabbit continue to chortle uncontrollably as they climbed out of the pool.

 “S-sorry,” she apologized between the fits of amusement, unable to stand up from it. “I just…gravity really _does_ hate you!” She clutched her stomach while Nick continued to stare at her like she had grown another head.

 “I really am stronger than I look too!” Judy pointed out, her lips hurting from smiling. “I could toss you over my shoulder and carry you out of here if I wanted to!”

 Nick smirked at her, his green eyes staring to glow with amusement. “Maybe I should throw you back into the pool to calm you down?”  
 “Oh don’t you dare,” Judy warned, still chuckling as she picked up her phone and purse and stood up. “I’ll push you back in.”

 Nick jumped to his feet and smiled at her, “You don’t laugh nearly enough, Bun Bun.”

“Quit calling me that,” she ordered but her smile took the bite out of her words.

 “I don’t think I will,” he replied, cupping his chin in thought. “In fact, I want to see you laugh more, and since you have proved resistance to my marvelous sense of humor I’ll have to use a more direct method.” He held up his paws and waved his fingers threateningly.

“Don’t you even think about it,” Judy warned but when the fox took a step forward she hurried and dashed out of the gym (blind in doing so since she had placed her phone in her purse), Nick chasing after her.

            The crowd in the cafeteria jumped up in surprise when Judy and Nick, both covered in what appeared to be dried blood, burst into the room laughing like a couple of lunatics.

 


	26. Chapter 26

With immense relief Rick walked into the cafeteria, surrounded by his brother’s two friends and Fru Fru. After running into more mammals in costume (twice having to pull Honey back from attacking them), and all the while Fru Fru clung to Finnick and showering him with compliments that had the fennec fox’s ears turning red.

 But finally they had finished the trail and returned to the school and Rick had decided he needed to hang out with mammals his own age.

 Stepping into the cafeteria he had a short lived moment of peace before he saw that Nick was chasing Judy around the room, both of them stained red. Rick’s jaw dropped.

 “NICK!” Honey suddenly shouted, making Rick and Finnick flinch before the badger ran over and tackled into the fox, knocking him to the ground as she wrapped him into a bone crushing hug. “I thought you got eaten by zombies!”  
 “Honey-hug-let go-can’t breathe,” Nick gasped in pain.

 Judy had stopped running, catching her breath as she chuckled at the sight of Honey’s ‘tough love’. When she spotted Fru Fru who stood between Rick and Finnick she hurried over to her friend’s side. “I was worried about you guys.”  
”We were worried about you,” Rick replied, taking in her stained fur and costume. “What exactly did you and my brother get up to?”

 “I kind of accidentally pushed him into the pool that was full of red food dye,” she explained in an embarrassed tenor, her paws were clasped behind her back and she rocked on the balls of her feet like a little kid who got caught with her paw in a cookie jar.

 Fru Fru took in her friend’s bright eyes with a knowing smile, “So you and Nick had a good time together?”

 Judy’s ears drooped, the pink of her ears darkening ever so slightly. “I didn’t want to strangle him if that’s what you mean.”  
            Fru Fru giggled before remembering they had left Clawhauser in the cafeteria, she looked around the room to see the cheetah at the booth they had left him in, the candy he had been devouring had vanished and he had his head buried in his arms.

“Oh, no,” Fru sighed as if she was a tired mother. “I told him not to eat too much.”

Judy looked over to Clawhauser, smiling in sympathy, “Let’s go check on him.”

 Fru Fru wished Finnick a farewell before following Judy; they passed Nick who had managed to pry himself out of Honey’s arms and was in the middle of assuring her he hadn’t gotten bitten by the undead.

“How you feeling, sweetie?” Judy asked Ben as she slid into the booth next to him, patting his back affectionately.

Fru Fru climbed up onto the table, “I told you not to eat too much.”

Clawhauser moaned and lifted his head up to look at the two, “I couldn’t help it, they’re just so _good_.”

 Fru shook her head, “You’ve been like this since you were a cub.”

Judy’s ears pricked up, “You two knew each other since you were little kids?”  
 “We didn’t tell you?” Fru looked up at the bunny in surprise. “Since everyone in Tundra Town knew who my Daddy was I didn’t make that many friends, and since I always liked visiting Savannah Central he let me transfer here to St. Zoo and I got seated with Ben here.” She smiled lovingly down at the cheetah who offered a small smile, his eyes still pained from his stomach ache. “I don’t remember what we talked about but not five minutes into class and we were best friends.”

            “How was the haunted trail?” Ben asked his friends.

“I got to hang out with Finnick so _I_ had a good time,” Fru beamed before turning her eyes to Judy. “Our sweet innocent Miss Hopps here got lost in the woods with Nicolas Wilde.”

Clawhauser looked to Judy, whose ears were red, and despite his stomach ache he grinned in amusement. “Is that so?”

“Stop acting like it was a scandalous affair,” Judy pouted at them. “The weirdest thing that happened was that we got caught in a net.”

 Ben’s brow knit, “A net?”

“Apparently some old abandoned prank from some bitter jocks,” Judy waved her paw dismissively. “Not important enough to go into detail.”

 “What’s up with your fur?” the cheetah asked as if he had just noticed.

“She and Nick went for a dip in the gym’s pool,” Fru answered for her. “And while most would say the pool was the color of blood I say it’s the color of passion.”

 Judy rolled her eyes, “You read too many romance novels, Fru.”

            “Carrots!” Nick’s voice interrupted the three’s conversation.

Judy turned to see the fox heading over; her body went rigid, ready to run if he tried to tickle her.

“You can relax,” he told her, apparently reading her thoughts. “I bring good news.”

“What news?” she asked. Fru and Ben watched their exchange quietly.

 “So after I convinced Honey I didn’t crave brains I walked over to get me some punch, only to have Winter smack the cup out of my paw and she told me the punch has been spiked.” He grinned, “But they haven’t figured out who’s the culprit.”

 Judy jumped out of the booth, her ears erect and her eyes shining with excitement, “Do we have any leads?”

 Nick’s grin widened, “I’m putting all my money on Duke Weaselton.”

Judy nodded in agreement, she didn’t enforce the sneaky weasel stereotype but she would happily enforce the sneaky Duke Weaselton stereotype. “Have you seen him?”

Nick looked around the cafeteria, “If I did I can’t remember…Wanna ask around?”  
 “Yes, let’s do that,” Judy told him, pushing him away from her friends, “But let’s not ask the chaperones. We can solve this on our own!”

            Clawhauser waited until they were out of ear shot before he turned to Fru Fru, “Okay, you’re right. Those two are adorable together.”  


.

 

            “I’m no expert in this,” Wade spoke up as he and Gazelle walked through the haunted house. “But when two animals finally start to bond aren’t the friends supposed to leave them alone or something?”

“Normally, yes,” Gazelle said, staying close to Wade. While she liked haunted houses she found she could be spooked very easily. “But I know Sven and odds are if he’s left to his own devices… We just need to find him and Charlie. Besides, this is hardly the most romantic place in the world.” They passed an old-fashioned portrait, the eyes of the aristocratic jaguar following them as they moved.

 “Oh I don’t know,” Wade said, looking up at the ceiling that hung with plastic bats and cobwebs, “Scary stuff is a huge cliché for guys to have girls drape themselves all over them. He’d probably get more action going to a haunted house than eating at a fancy restaurant that plays classical music.”

 Gazelle made an amused noise and smirked at the wolf, “It’s a good thing I know you’re not interested in me otherwise I might be a little worried you’d come on to me.”

Wade looked down at her, his green eyes striking in the dark of the hall. “You’re not my type,” he finally said.

 Gazelle’s ears pricked, “You have a type?”

“I do,” he replied.

 “What’s your type?”

 Wade’s eyes narrowed in thought, “My type…Someone a little sturdier than you.”

Gazelle’s brow knit, “Sturdier?” She glanced down at her hips, “I’m not big enough for you?”  
 “More like you’re too frail,” he answered. “I’d hurt you.”

When she continued to give him a befuddled look he elaborated, “Wolves tend to be rough when we…you know.”

“Oh- _oh_!” Gazelle got hit with the realization, “I see.”

If she hadn’t known better she could’ve sworn she saw a glint of wry humor in Wade’s eyes.

            “Gazelle!” a voice called from behind them, bringing the somewhat inappropriate conversation to an end.

The gazelle looked over her shoulder to see the bunny Judy Hopps hurrying toward them, Rick Wilde’s younger brother following after her. They both glanced at Wade but to Gazelle’s furtive joy neither of them looked intimidated by his presence.

 “Something wrong?” she asked the two as they stopped before her.

Judy shook her head, “We’re looking for Duke Weaselton, Lionheart told us he saw him come in here. Did you see him?”

“Afraid not,” Gazelle answered, looking to Wade. He shook his head as well.

“He couldn’t have gotten that far,” Judy declared, her brow furrowed in determination. “Come on Nick!” She ran ahead of Gazelle and Wade and the fox followed, wearing an extraordinarily pleased look on his face.

            “Hmm,” Wade made a thoughtful noise as he watched the pair scamper off.

“What is it?” Gazelle asked at him.

“There’s always something going on with those two,” he pointed out. “I always get a main character vibe from them.”

Gazelle’s brow rose, “Main character vibe?”

But Wade was already shaking his head, “Forget about it. Let’s find your reindeer before he does something stupid.”

 The two kept walking, Gazelle humming to herself as the hallways moaned and groaned at her. Wade looked completely casual, not fazed in the slightest as they passed rooms full of screaming and bloody mammals.

 She gazed at him, “How come you flinch when I try to pat your shoulder but don’t even blink when all these shrieking animals jump at us?”

He didn’t look at her, “I know it’s fake.”

 That didn’t answer her question in the least; in fact, it only brought up _more_ questions. “I swear, Wade. One day you will talk to me and I will understand what you’re saying.”

He gave her a mocking look. “I look forward to it,” he replied in a tone that said he didn’t believe in a word she said.

            They walked into a pitch black classroom, as she walked Gazelle felt shapes made of plastic slide across her head and shoulders, dangling from the ceiling by strings. “What’s hanging from the ceiling?” she asked Wade.

 “Gazelle?” a new voice spoke farther into the room, startling her.

“Oh, hey Bogo,” Gazelle called into the dark. She had talked to the buffalo once in a while and knew he was a part of her Noninvasive Fan Club. “How are you?”

 “I’ve been better,” he grunted, “Considering I came in here because my team mates couldn’t stop laughing at my costume.”

 “Oh, that’s right. You dressed up like a clown,” Wade spoke up, his voice sounding tight as if he was keeping himself from laughing.

Bogo snorted in annoyance.

 “Have you seen Sven or Charlotte?” Gazelle asked him.

“No but I saw that rabbit and fox mystery duo,” the buffalo replied, “They were chasing that Weaselton around.”

 Wade made an annoyed noise, “Seriously, what’s hanging from the ceiling? I need to know or I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

 “Hold on, let me see,” Gazelle reached into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out her phone, sliding on the flash light and looking around the classroom.

 Spiders. Hanging from the ceilings were dozens of plastic spiders of all sizes, the sight startled Gazelle for a second before she tittered in good humor, “It’s just-”

Her voice was cut off by a surprisingly high-pitched shriek from Bogo, the buffalo charged out of the room, he wouldn’t knocked into Gazelle if Wade hadn’t dragged her to his side just in time, her face smacking into the wolf’s chest.

 They both stared at the room’s door where the buffalo had fled; they could still hear his screams as he ran down the hallway.

 “Someone’s arachnophobia,” Gazelle finally spoke, her voice muffled by Wade’s chest; the wolf’s arms were wrapped around her in a way that felt protective.

 “No,” Wade said slowly, sarcastically, “You phone’s light just startled him.” And then a second later Wade did something that surprised her more than Bogo’s screaming. He threw his head back and laughed.

 Gazelle lifted her head to look up at him, her eyes widening in awe. Wade’s laughter was a raspy noise as if he hadn’t laughed in a long time, and yet it still sounded so warm and full of mirth, his chest shaking against her heart as he continued.

 When he calmed down he smiled at her, actually genuinely smiled, his green eyes still brimming with mirth. “Is it morally wrong to laugh at someone’s fear?”

“I-I think, this one time, we can make an expectation,” she answered, her voice sounding breathless even to her own ears.

He noticed how his arms were still wrapped around her waist and he released her, but not as quickly as he usually did. His paws actually seemed to linger, and when he pulled away she felt colder. 

 “That’s twice I’ve saved you from being trampled,” he pointed, his smile was small but still in place. “I think I deserve a raise.”

She smiled softly at him. She could’ve sworn her heart rate increased.

 

.

 

            Sven and Charlie sat in a hallway that was decorated for Halloween. Sven having taken his mask off to better talk to the cheetah, telling her how he had made his costume from scratch and helped Winter find her kimono.

“That sounds like fun,” Charlie told him, a small smile curving her lips.

Sven’s own grin was nearly splitting his face, “It was! You should do it with us next year! It will be our last before we graduate.”

 Charlie looked down at the floor, “Time sure has a way of flying by, doesn’t it?”

 “Yep,” Sven replied. “It feels like just yesterday I was still growing in my antlers and thinking singing lessons would help me.” His chuckle was bittersweet, “Then I blinked.”

“We both blinked,” Charlie told him, her arms wrapped around her knees.

 Sven looked at her, at her spots that patterns reminded him of constellations, when they were younger they used to try to connect her spots to form pictures, he looked at her light brown eyes that always looked so warm and reminded him of a home he wanted, a home he wanted with her. Her lips were still turned up in a smile and it had been too long before he had been on the receiving end of that smile. She was beautiful. And he told her that.

 Charlie’s eyes widened and she turned her head sharply to stare at him; she was no longer tipsy and was getting her smarts back. “What?”

 “Why do you look so surprised?”  Sven asked softly. “You know how I feel about you, Charlie.”

 The cheetah swallowed painfully and dread was starting to rise up the reindeer’s throat, he scolded himself for ruining what good mood they had shared. But the mental scolding didn’t last long; they _needed_ to talk about this.

“Why do you always have to say things like that?” she demanded softly, her voice cross and distraught yet quiet. 

 “Why can’t you forgive me?” he demanded, her irate behavior rubbing off on him. “I apologized, I tried to be your friend again, and when that didn’t work I tried to give you space but that didn’t work either. _Tell me what I have to do_?”

 “You don’t want to be my friend,” Charlie pointed out sharply. “You’ve always wanted more than that?”

 “Why is that so awful?” he demanded, his voice cracking a little because she was right. Of course he wanted more, he always had.

 “Sven…” her voice was alike to a please. “Don’t…”

 “No,” Sven didn’t back down. “Answer me. _Why_ would it be so awful?”

“Because you’re a reindeer,” she finally snapped, baring her fangs at the word.

 Sven flinched back, a sting plunging itself deep into his chest as Charlie’s words echoed through the silent hallway. “… _What_?”

 Charlie swallowed again, her eyes flashing in sorrow before she pushed herself to her feet, wrapping her arms around herself. “You’re a reindeer,” she repeated, keeping her eyes away from him. “And I’m a cheetah.”

 “That never mattered to you before,” Sven called out as she started to walk away.

Charlie stopped but still didn’t look back when she spoke: “It always mattered, Sven. We just didn’t always know it.”

 

.

 

            Nick couldn’t help a cringe as Judy tackled into Duke, knocking them both to the floor with a loud smack.

They had found the weasel (he was dressed as a thief whose name Nick couldn’t recall) hanging out in one of the pitch-black classrooms. Judy had demanded to know if he had spiked the punch and Duke had dashed off, answering the rabbit’s question. They had chased him around for a few minutes before Judy had managed to nab him in the library that was full of ghosts and wailing sound effects.

            “Get off me you crazy rabbit!” Duke growled up at Judy from where she had planted her knees on his back.

“You shouldn’t have run off,” Nick said in a mocking sing-song voice as he walked over to stand over the two, his paws behind his back.

“You two look like maniacs all covered in blood,” the weasel snapped at him. “Who wouldn’t run off?”

“It’s food dye,” Judy replied. “Now tell us why you spiked the punch.”

 “I’d listen to her if I were you, Duke,” Nick warned him. “You don’t wanna see her when she’s _hopping mad_.”

Both the rabbit and weasel gave him a disgusted look upon hearing his _brilliant_ pun.

 “I ain’t telling you nothing,” Duke told them.

“We won’t tell any of the chaperones,” Judy assured him, surprising both him and Nick.

 “We won’t?” Nick asked, surprised Judy would do something so…rebel-like.

 She looked up at him and shrugged, “The damage has kinda already been done. Besides, everyone’s been having such a good night I don’t want to ruin it for them or us for that matter.”

 Nick still stared at her as she turned her attention back to Duke, “So, if you say you’re sorry and promise not to do it again I’ll let you go.”

“And if I don’t?” Duke challenged.

“I have no were I need to be,” she replied, digging her knee harder into his spine making him yelp in pain.

 “Alright, alright,” Duke hurriedly spoke, “I’m sorry and I won’t spike any more drinks at the _school_ anymore!”

 Nick crouched down and held up a paw, sticking up two of his fingers, “Scout’s honor?” he asked, using the old paw signal from his junior ranger scout days. He noticed Judy’s eyes widening as she gave him a weird and thoughtful look, but then she shook her head softly, whatever she had been thinking she quickly dismissed it.

 “Scout’s honor,” Duke growled lowly.

“There,” Judy stepped off him, standing up straight. “See how easy that was?”  
 Nick stood up straight and Judy stepped up to stand beside him, “Nick and I are a crime-solving force not to be messed with.”

She didn’t notice the smug grin Nick sent to the weasel, the fox could practically feel the Duke’s wallet getting lighter.

            They watched Weaselton scamper off before Nick looked down at the bunny, “Third case solved we are good.”

She smiled up at him before heading for the door, “Let’s get back to the others. I kinda ditched Fru and Ben without even a goodbye.”

            Back in the cafeteria Gazelle and Wade had returned and the singer decided to throw a little concert, picking one of her favorite Halloween-y songs and dancing around as she sang along. It wasn’t long until others joined her and animals started to dance around, picking partners as they did so.

Wade remained in his booth but once in a while Gazelle would send a smile his way and his green eyes would crinkle in a friendly way.

 Bellwether had fallen asleep against Lionheart’s shoulder, her snoring face buried into his mane. Percy sat across from the lion, having finally made it back from the trial and bragging how he had gotten the number of the zombie otter that had ‘attacked’ him.

 Sven had returned his mask back on but he stayed somberly quiet. Charlie had left for home.

Honey was dancing around in a wild fashion, Rick and Finnick sitting at a table and smirking in amusement as they watched her.

 Judy stood by Ben who was still moaning over his severe candy intake, telling Fru about the little case they had solved with record breaking swiftness.

 The shrew glanced over to the dancing crowd after Judy had finished her story. “Why don’t you ask him to dance with you?”

 Judy’s ears pricked up, “Huh?”

Fru smiled slyly at her, “I don’t think he’d say no.”

 “Who says I want to dance with him?” Judy argued lightly. “Besides he probably can’t even dance.”

“But if he could…?” Fru’s voice trailed off in a suggestive question.

Judy turned away to focus on the dancing couples, not answering her friend’s question and ignoring Fru’s little giggle. She supposed if Nick _could_ dance, which she doubted he could she wouldn’t be _completely_ opposed to a dance, a platonic dance, that didn’t require too much paw holding…

            Her eyes lazily traveled over the crowd and it was too easy to spot the fox, he was chatting up with Winter who shook her head with a friendly smile and a patronizing look. Despite the impression Winter always made that she couldn’t stand Nick, Judy had a feeling she appreciated his friendship. Suddenly Nick extended his paw to Winter, saying something she couldn’t make out because of the distance and noise. Winter shrugged and took his paw and Nick led her to the crowd where the two started to dance together.

 An uncomfortable feeling twisted Judy’s insides and she frowned, confused. But before she could think more on it Clawhauser let out another painful moan and she turned around to him.

 “Maybe it’s time we took him home?” Fru suggested to her and Judy agreed.

“Come on, sweetie,” Judy encouraged, helping the cheetah to his feet and slinging his arm over her shoulders. She started to lead him out of the cafeteria, Fru Fru trailing after them.

 “Don’t say ‘sweet’,” Ben groaned, then added, “Sorry I’m making you girls leave the party early.”

 “It’s hardly early,” Judy told him. She was sure her aunt and uncle had already gotten her cousins into bed.

“Did you two have a memorable night at least?” Ben asked them.

“Yep,” Fru said, all chipper.

 “Yeah,” Judy said quietly, honestly, as the night’s events played through her head. “I did.”

            She didn’t notice Nick and Winter ending their dance with a laugh as the red fox almost tripped over himself. Nor did she notice when Nick looked around the cafeteria and spotted her leaving, his smile dropping in disappointment.

 

 

 


	27. Chapter 27

Wade changed into his normal torn jeans, white shirt, and red hoodie at the school, stuffing his angel outfit into his backup and trying to repress the memory that he had worn the costume.

 He and Gazelle finally left when the party was dying down; many of her friends such as Sven had already left. The pop singer had gotten the tiger Raja to pick her up and she had waved goodbye to Wade in a way that was almost bashful.

 She had acted kind of strangely since they had walked out of the haunted house but Wade decided not to ponder it, it wasn’t his business after all.

            He drove home, hoping his parents were either out or asleep.

He lived on the outskirts of Savannah Central, a street of houses that would’ve been suburban if they were better taken care of. The houses rickety with peeling paint and yards with yellowed grass that either covered the yard in patches or grew so long the yards looked like miniature jungles. Wade’s house was in no better condition.

            He pulled his truck into the yard and out of habit he made sure the windows were rolled up and locked the doors before he jumped out and headed toward the front door. He perked his ears to listen for voices but all he heard was the dull buzz of a TV. His shoulders dropping in relief he opened the door and walked into the living room, only to have that relief crushed almost instantly.  

            His mother sat on a corner of the couch that was tan with tears all across it. She wore the same wrinkled blue blouse and pants he had seen her wearing yesterday. Her brown fur was a lighter shade than his Aunt Kate’s as the two came from the same litter. Wade had gotten his glowing green eyes from her; her said eyes were bloodshot and dull as she stared at the TV that played a rerun of an old drama.

 Wade didn’t say anything, instead trying to walk past her to his room before his father showed up. But his mother’s eyes blinked as she past and she focused in on him.

 “Wade,” her voice was husky and he was close enough to catch the whiff of stale cigarettes and cheep wine that always clung to her pelt.

 “Yes, Mom,” he acknowledged her quietly, glancing at her from over his shoulder.

She beckoned him toward her and with great reluctance Wade stepped forward to stand before her. “Where were you?” she asked in a strict tone that would’ve made Wade laugh if he wasn’t feeling so bitter.

“At school,” he answered in a clip.

Her brow knit, “It’s night time.” She said it like she thought he was lying, that instead he was out partying with the scum of the street, drinking and letting any animal that winks at him touch him any way they want. The thought made Wade grit his teeth, he wouldn’t do the same thing that had brought him into this world.

 “The school was having a Halloween party,” Wade told her. “I told you this.”

 His mother still wore that distrustful look and he wondered if she had even been listening when he had told her. She reached out and held his wrists, letting out a forlorn sigh as she did so.

 “I’m sorry for questioning you,” she told him, her hot alcohol-scented breath wafting over his snout. He had to fight to keep his lip from curling in distaste. “I just get worried. Teenagers can just make so many mistakes without even trying.”

 “I know,” he replied. _You made every single one of them_.

 He nearly let out a yelp then as quite suddenly she dug her claws into the flesh of his wrists and he wished he could pull away, but he knew if he did his mother would have a fit probably claiming that he didn’t love her.

Her green eyes so like his own were staring at nothing, her brow furrowed in anger, “You’re too much like me, Wade.” Those words made him internally flinch. “You’ll let popular, attractive animals get the better of you. Just like I let your father get the best of me and now look where I am.”

 He knew it was just as much as her fault as his father but he didn’t say anything, only trying to block out the pain of her claws digging past his flesh. He knew he would need to bandage his wrists later.

 “He got the best of me…”

            “Have you eaten, Mom?” he asked out of the blue, trying to change the subject.

She released his wrists and he immediately wrapped his arms around him, pulling the sleeves up his hood farther down his wrists.

“I could eat,” she replied, snuggling back into the couch as if she hadn’t been about to start a tirade. “And get me something to drink, hm?”

Wade resisted the urge to roll his eyes and headed to the kitchen, he knew exactly what drink she wanted and if she wanted it she’d have to get it herself.

            He walked into the kitchen that was moldy and stained, looking through the refrigerator the only edible thing he saw were a few eggs. Glad he filled up on Halloween candies he found a clean pan and cracked the eggs open, frying them over their tiny stove. He wondered how Lilly and Jenna’s trick or treating went; he’d have to ask them tomorrow. He let out a yawn, his fangs flashing; he’d be sleeping in class tomorrow for sure.

 Suddenly he heard the back door creaked open and slammed shut and Wade tensed. Only one mammal used the back door. His father stumbled into the kitchen, his clothes wrinkled and covered in stains Wade didn’t want to identify.

 He had technically gotten the color of his fur from his father, those the older wolf’s pelt was a dark gray instead of pitch black like Wade’s. His yellow eyes glared at his son, “You’re home.” It wasn’t a question.

 Wade nodded, keeping his eyes on the frying eggs, his head down and ears flattened.

 “You’re cooking,” the older wolf noted. Wade never ate at home.

 “It’s for mother,” Wade answered quietly. “She said she’s hungry.”

His father snorted, “Her stomach’s so full of wine there’s no room for food.”

 “She needs to eat,” Wade reminded him, placing the now cooked eggs on a plate. “Someone needs to feed her.”

            He realized his mistake the second before a paw came down, swatting him across his head. Wade bit his tongue to keep from whimpering as the pain shot through his brain, causing his ear to ring.

 “If I didn’t know any better,” his father snarled, “I’d say it sounds like you think I can’t take care of my mate. But you wouldn’t be so disrespectable, would you?”

 “No, sir,” Wade breathed, lowering his head farther and not looking up to meet his father’s eyes.

 “Good,” he growled. “Now get out of my sight.”

Wade didn’t need to be asked twice, scurrying out of the kitchen and past the living room; his mother had passed out on the couch, and locked himself in his room.

            Said room was his only safe haven. It was small, his bed the exact same bed he had had since he was ten, a bookshelf piled with books and CDs, his clothes stuffed messily into his miniscule closet and a small TV he had bought himself sitting on a old bedside table.

Wade slipped his hoodie off, placing it on top of his bookshelf as usual and flinched when he saw that in fact his mother’s claws _had_ drawn blood, but at least it wasn’t too much. He reached under his bed and pulled out the first aid kit he kept there, wrapping bandages around his wrist and taking note he needed to wear extra long sleeves tomorrow.

 Placing the first aid kit back he searched under his bed once again and this time pulled out a jar labeled ‘Escape Money’ and put the money Gazelle had paid him into the jar, it was half way full…it wouldn’t be long now. He placed the jar back under his bed, making sure it was well hidden before sitting down on the bed with a heavy sigh. He needed music.

 He pulled out the CD player buried deep in his back pack and searched through his pile of CDs, looking for something to take his mind off the mistake called his life. Despite himself his attention narrowed in on his newest CD that was still not opened.

 “Screw it,” he muttered, picking up Gazelle’s CD and swearing to himself he’d never tell her.

He laid back against his bed, earphones jammed into his ears, the music player laying on his chest as he closed his eyes, his limbs hanging off his mattress, and led Gazelle’s music fill his throbbing head.

            Her music was just as he had expected it to be, bouncy, full of life and inspirational messages. He smirked to himself, this was so Gazelle. He could see his classmate swaying her arms to the music, hips swishing around, her eyes shining like they were made out of stars.

“Wait, what?” Wade’s eyes popped open. He slowly sat up.

Did he just compare Gazelle’s eyes to _stars_? He was probably just tired and besides it had been a weird day. She had held his wrist and even now he could still feel how smooth her hoof had been, and then there was that whole thing where he had held her and hadn’t minded in the least, her fur had been pretty soft and she had looked up at him with those starry eyes.

 “Wait, _what_?” he repeated, his heart taking up a frantic rate as he felt mounting horror.

He didn’t…there was no way…he didn’t _like_ Gazelle? She was annoying, always smiling at him like he was a nice guy, always laughing and talking and wanting to enjoy his company. Being the first animal in, he didn’t know how long, to look at him without a trace of fear.

 “ **WAIT, WHAT**!?”

 

.

 

            “ _Gary and Larry in the morning~”_

The two wolves sat in the second floor of St. Zoo’s library, their legs crossed in comfy plush chairs while they held blue and white coffee mugs. They wore early morning, chipper smiles as they looked at the ‘audience’.

Across from them in his own chair sprawled Nick, his legs splayed out before him and his arms hanging from the chair’s arm rests. His head was leaning back against the seat, his muzzle facing the ceiling as he tried to blink the drowsiness out of his eyes.

 “Welcome to our brand new morning talk show,” Larry introduced. “Our very first guest is Nicholas Wilde, resident fox and track team star.”  
 “And if he’s lucky the star of St. Zoo’s upcoming musical: Zoosies,” Gary added.

The two wolves turned their attention to the fox; Nick straightened up and shook the sleep out of his head, offering the two a lazy smile.

 “Mr. Wilde, are you worried you won’t be cast as the Zoosies lead, Jackal Kelly?” the white wolf asked.

 “Worried?” Nick echoed with a cocky glint to his emerald eyes. “I guess the same way I’m worried the snow in Tundra Town will melt.”  
 The two wolves laughed in an obnoxious TV kind of way. “No lack of self-confidence here, folks,” Larry said.

 “You know what they say,” Gary spoke. “A part of having confidence is having a good figure. Mr. Wilde, how do you stay so thin?”  
 Nick looked temporarily thrown by the sudden topic change but then relaxed against his chair, “Well, I am on the track team and eat like a fox. The rest is genetics.”

 Gary and Larry shared another laugh. “Good one, good one,” Larry smiled.

 “How about we go ahead and get some questions from the audience?” Gary suggested.

Nick’s brow knit as Larry nodded, “Good idea, Mr. Wilde can give them tips on how to be a confident individual.”  
 “Uh, guys,” Nick interrupted, looking around the empty library. “There’s no audience…and I probably should have asked this earlier but, where are the cameras?”

 “Oh, we don’t get those until tomorrow,” Larry answered.

“This is just a practice run,” Gary admitted.

 Nick went slack jawed as he stared at them before scowling, “Guys, its’ six a.m. _jeez_.”

He angrily tore the mic off his shirt and walked off. As he walked Gary and Larry shared indignant looks.

 “We’re not having him back,” Larry said and Gary nodded. They then both turned to smile at the imaginary cameras: “ _Gary and Larry in the morn_ -”

“ _NO_!”

 

.

 

            Judy and Fru Fru stood back with baited breath as Mrs. Armadio posted the Zoosies cast onto the school bulletin board that was already covered in pages for clubs and sporting events and schedules for finals. 

 The armadillo smiled kindly at the two girls before walking off, Judy, with her friend on her shoulder, waited until the drama teacher had turned the corner before dashing over to the bulletin.

 Judy traced her finger down the casting list but didn’t have to look far before she spotted her name right next to- “I got Catherine!” She hopped up ecstatically as Fru hugged her neck in congratulations.

 “Who did you get?” Judy asked.

They looked over the sheet and spotted Fru Fru’s names. “I’m Les Jacolts.”

Judy frowned, “That’s a little boy.”

 “I don’t mind cross-dressing,” Fru said with an easy shrug. “And since he’s little I won’t have to make my voice all deep. Who plays my big brother, Davey?”

 When they saw who Judy pressed her ears against her skull to block out the shrew’s squealing. Davey Jacolts would be played by none other than Finnick.

 “It’s not like he’s a love interest,” Judy pointed out.

“I know but this means I have a reason to spend time with him,” she beamed, and then gave Judy a sly look. “Speaking of love interests, we didn’t see who’s playing Jackal Kelly.”

 They checked the list again. Fru Fru smiled. Judy groaned.

 Jackal Kelly would, of course, be played by the one and only Nick Wilde.

 

.

 

            Nick was a personification of satisfaction as he and the rest of the Zoosies cast sat on the auditorium’s stage after school.

 They all sat cross-legged on the stage as Mrs. Armadio handed them all a script with the lines and lyrics they would need to memorize.

Finnick sat next to Nick as the two foxes flipped through their scripts. On the other side of the stage Judy sat with Fru Fru. Percy and Lionheart had gotten in as well, Percy would be playing Jackal Kelly’s best friend, Crutchie. Lionheart would be playing the villain, Catherine’s father Joseph Pawitzer.

Gazelle of course got in, but surprisingly her character (Mooda Larkin a singer) would only have one song. She had somehow convinced Wade Jones to be in it, he would be a playing a zoosie from Barklyn. Nick took notice that the wolf was sitting oddly close to the gazelle, if the singer noticed she didn’t show it. Even Bogo got a role as Warden Snarlder, though it was hardly a big part. And then there were all the other mammals who that filled up the stage, some Nick knew, others he didn’t. But there was only one mammal here he was interested in.

            “Okay everyone,” Mrs. Armadio gathered everyone’s attention. “Before we start I always like to get our acting juices flowing by having a little improv game. Bobby and Sven both have a hat full of slips of paper, everyone is to get into groups of five and pick a paper. This slip of paper may say you have to speak in a certain tone or are obsessed with a certain show you can’t stop talking about, who knows. But I want you all to have conversations using these slip of papers. Now go ahead and get your partners while Bobby and Sven get the hats.”

 She had barely finished talking before Nick dragged Finnick over to Judy and Fru Fru. Judy’s expression was neutral but the little shrew beamed up at them with delight.

 “Wanna be in our group, Leodore?” Nick asked the lion who was sitting a few feet away.

Leodore shrugged and walked over, the five making a circle as they sat together.

            Sven walked over and offered them a bowler hat full of paper, as everyone grabbed one Nick frowned at the reindeer’s dejected expression. Apparently Judy noticed it to.

 “Are you okay?” she asked him softly.

Sven offered her a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, “I’m fine.” He walked away before anyone could say more.

            Finnick looked at his slip of paper and snorted, “I talk by meowing…okay?”

“I get to cheer all my sentences,” Fru Fru read, “Hope that doesn’t mean I have to get upset.”

“And I’m super excited yet also super tired,” Leodore read his slip. “…How does that work?”  
 “Oh mine will be fun,” Judy said with a smile. “I’m happy but I talk in an angry tone.”

She looked down at Fru Fru. “I love your hair,” she growled vehemently.

“Give me a t,” Fru began, “give me an h, a, n, k, u. What’s that spell? Thank you!”

 Nick read his own slip of paper and immediately burst into laughter. The other four stared at Nick in surprise and mild concern until the fox managed to calm himself and grinned at them. “I have the best one. I am a very emotionally and very expecting mother.”

 The words got him sniggers and even Judy’s eyes lit up with mirth. Nick turned his attention to Finnick, “I need a baby bump.”  
Finnick’s snickering stopped, “Oh, no, no, no, _no_. You can drag me into joining a musical but I will _not_ be your kid, Wilde.”

 “Aw, come on Fin, be a pal,” Nick pleaded, his paws clasped together in a begging fashion.

 “It _would_ help us get our acting juices flowing,” Fru Fru pointed out.

Judy and Lionheart nodded and Finnick started to squirm under the four’s unrelenting gazes.

 “Damnit peer pressure,” he muttered under his breath before sighing in defeat. “Fine, I’ll be your stupid mewling baby bump.”  
            Nick stood up and allowed Finnick to crawl into his zipped up jacket, the smaller fox’s claws digging into Nick’s shirt. Nick smiled down at his newfound baby bump and clutched it in his paw. “Okay, let’s start.”

 His lip trembled as he took in a shuddering breath and rubbed his bump in a loving fashion.

Judy jumped to her feet and walked into the middle of the circle and looked around, “Cheese and crackers,” she snarled, “It’s going to be a _beautiful_ day.”

 Her arms flailed out as she spoke and she accidentally tapped her knuckles against Finnick. Nick let out an overdramatic gasp and clutched his friend who let out a dull meow.

 “Don’t you dare touch Judy junior,” he snapped at the rabbit.

There was a silent moment of Judy glared at him before she remembered to play along and gasped loudly.

“That’s right,” Nick said. “ _It’s your baby_.”

“Are you saying I knocked you up?” Judy demanded gruffly.

“You sure did,” Nick all but sobbed.

“The miracle of life,” Lionheart yawned as he stood up to stand beside him. “So beautiful, it warms my heart.”

Fru Fru hurried over, waving her paws around. “What do we want? Judy Junior! When do we want her?” She glanced at Nick, “How far along are you?”

Nick looked down at his baby bump, his lips thin in thought, “Probably seven to eight months.”

 “Seven to eight months!” the shrew cheered.

Finnick let out another round of meows.


	28. Chapter 28

Zoosies opened up with Jackal Kelly and his best friend, Crutchie, singing about a dream of moving to Santa Fur for a better life.

 With the buildings for the musical not made yet Nick and Percy stood in the middle of the stage as they sang the song. Judy, Leodore, and many of the other cast along with Mrs. Armadio, sat in the auditorium’s seats as they listened.

            “ _Close your eyes_ …” Nick sang, his arm slung over the bunny’s shoulder as he waved his arm across the auditorium. “ _Come with me, where it’s clean and green and pretty._ ”

 Judy sat between Fru Fru and Bobby, listening to the fox sing. All the while she was desperately trying to not be impressed. It wasn’t hard to see why Mrs. Armadio had made Nick the lead star, he had talent. And his natural born confidence made him take over the stage when he was on it. Meanwhile she could make out slight stage fright in Percy’s eyes but he kept on and Judy found the bravery admirable, he would get over said fear easily enough.

            “Hey, no one worries about no gimp leg in Santa Fur. You just hop a Palomino, you’ll ride in style,” Nick recited the lines, grinning down at Percy and moving his paw to the rabbit’s waist.

 “Picture me, ridin’ in style,” Percy replied with a grin.

 “Hey I bet a few months of clean air, you could toss that crutch for good!”

 He lifted Percy up with the arm wrapped around him as they two sung out their next line, their voices loud and boisterous and managing to fill the entirety of the auditorium. Judy ignored the shiver that went up her spine.

            When the song came to a close the crowd clapped for them as Nick dramatically bowed, Percy nodding shyly. Mrs. Armadio climbed up onto the stage and praised the boys, giving them directions on what they would have to do when they sang on opening night and explaining they would be singing on a balcony when the props were finished.

 Judy was texting Clawhauser, who was in the middle of a donut run, when Nick sat on the edge of the stage, his legs dangling over the rim as he smiled at her. She looked up when she felt his eyes on her, “Can I help you?”

 “How’d I do?”

 She frowned thoughtfully, “With what?”

 “Oh, don’t be coy, Carrots,” Nick smirked. “You know my singing is topnotch. What did you think when you saw I got the part of Jackal Kelly? Were you so proud of me? Were you terrified? Were you super horny?”

 Judy rolled her eyes then smiled over at Percy who was standing on the stage; he looked like he didn’t know what to do with himself. “Hey, Percy?”

 The rabbit’s ears perked up when he looked at her.

“You did great up there,” she told him.

 “Oh,” he said, sounding surprised. He laid a paw over his heart, “Thank you.”

 Judy grinned at Nick’s exasperated look before standing up and walking off. Nick puffed out a breath and stood up, stretching.

Percy walked over to the fox, “I personally think you did awesome too.”  
 Nick looked down at the rabbit who was getting more praise from Judy than he was, and decided he couldn’t be angry at this bunny when he was looking up at him with such admiration. So instead he ruffled Percy’s head, “Thanks, bud.”

 

.

 

            While the cast were practicing the song, _Carrying the Banner_ , Winter had slipped into the auditorium on the hunt for Sven.

The reindeer had been so out of touch since the Halloween party and the artic fox’s more optimistic side wanted to believe that it was because he and Charlie were spending more time together. But if that had been the case Sven would be prancing around, beaming with the light of the sun. He wasn’t doing that, he was shuffling his feet and hadn’t cracked one smile every time Winter got a look at him in the hallways and classrooms. Something awful had happened and as his best friend she needed to get to the bottom of it.

            He and Bobby were helping work the music with all the other members of the crew who would be playing the instruments. Winter sat down in a chair in one of the middle rows and waited patiently as Nick and the others zoosies finished up their song. Seeing the red fox reminded her of the Halloween party as well. After she had laughingly agreed to a dance between friends Nick’s mood had darkened and Winter suspected it had something to do with Judy Hopps.

 She sighed in a frustrated way.  Boys were so _thick headed_. She adored Sven; he was the brother she had never gotten. But he was far too passive; he needed to be more forceful with Charlie if they were ever going to work out their problems. Otherwise he was just going to keep torturing himself.

 Nick on the other paw, she had known him since elementary school and the years and some bad life experiences had changed him. But despite her denial she knew the same thing Finnick, Honey, and Rick did. That a good guy was hiding under those thick layers of sarcasm and cynicism, if he would just peel said layers off then odds are he and Judy could become a thing.

 But if Winter was being fair, girls were just as stubborn as boys were thick-skulled. She had caught the glances Charlie would send to Sven’s way when the reindeer wasn’t looking. The same went for Judy (thought she suspected the bunny wasn’t aware she was making such looks). If the two would put some of their own pride to the side and see Sven and Nick for who they were…Winter suspected life would be better for all four of them.

            The song finally came to a stop ( _Always out there, carryin’ the banner ah, ah, ah, go!_ ) and Winter stood up and headed to Sven’s side. The reindeer was sharing a quiet conversation with Bobby though Sven was doing all the talking. Winter wasn’t sure if anyone in this entire school had ever heard Bobby Catmull talk.

 “Sven,” Winter spoke up and her friend didn’t look overly fond at the sigh of her. “Can we talk?” she asked him. “Or are you just going to keep ignoring your best friend?”

 Sven’s eyes flashed with guilt just as Winter had wanted him to and the reindeer indicated to one of the auditorium’s seats, she sat down and Sven joined her, Bobby heading off to do his own thing.

 “What happened with you and Charlie?” Winter had no qualms with being forceful, she had stopped being meek when she lost her braces and too big glasses and turned into a ‘raving beauty’ (as Sven and Raja liked to put it).

 Sven flinched at her words and looked away, his ice blue eyes bitter and cold looking. It was a look she had never seen on her friend before and it scared her, Sven’s upbeat personality, even when he was going through heartache, was something that always made her feel better. And if he wasn’t upbeat, he wasn’t Sven.

 “Nothing happened,” he murmured. “As usual.”

 “Then why do you look like that?” Winter demanded. “I already asked Charlie and she won’t talk to me. You’re my friend, Sven, you can tell me what’s wrong.”

 He looked at her like he was weighing her words, trying to decide if they were trustworthy or not. Then he finally spoke: “I’m a reindeer.”

He stood up and walked off before she could speak, leaving Winter even more confused than she already was. She growled under her breath, “ _Boys_.”

 

.

 

            Bellwether sat in the back row of the auditorium, watching Leodore as he sang his first number; he had two songs in total and was playing the villain of the story. Joseph Pawitzer was a sly business man who hid his more wicked side through his articulate charm. Bellwether didn’t know if it was worrisome or not that Leodore was doing a fantastic job at playing him.

 “ _Shaving is tricky_ ,” the lion sang, Bellwether happy to be able to hear him from so far away (she was checking to see if his voice carried). “ _The razor should float, shave me too close and you may slit my throat. It’s the simplest solutions that bolster the bottom line_.”

 Bellwether tapped her feet against the floor, finding herself getting caught up in the music. She and her mother had both taken a liking to classic music, anything with pianos and violins, but Boarway music was a very close second.

            When Leodore’s practice was over Bellwether met him halfway down the aisle, the lion smiled at her as she reached his side. “How was I?”

 “It’ll do,” she teased lightly as he escorted her out of the auditorium. “Though don’t expect for anyone to throw bouquets of flowers at you.”

He sniggered, “As long as they don’t throw rotten vegetables I’m happy.”

 They walked down the hall in companionable silence for a few minutes before Bellwether spoke, “My dad left yesterday. Business called.”  
 “Ah,” Leodore said in a tone that told the sheep he was not distraught over the news.

Dawn rolled her eyes, “Are you still upset over how he acted when he first came home?”

His lack of reply was answer enough. “Maybe it’s karma, now you know how I feel when I come over and talk to your parents.”

 He looked affront at her words, “My parents love you!”  
Bellwether shook her head, “Your parents are _neutral_ to me. There’s a difference.”  
 He snorted but didn’t deny it. “At least we can both agree your mother loves me.” He looked at her as if to confirm the statement.

 She smiled softly up at him. “Yes, she does.” Bellwether remembered when she first brought Leodore home, a shy runty cub who didn’t even stare when he saw her mother’s scars and was a sweetheart to both her and Dawn. He had captured both their hearts that day. Not that Dawn ever planned on telling him that.  

 

.

 

            Wade Jones’ level of denial wasn’t as high as he often bragged it was. At least the only mammal he bragged to was himself.

The thing he was trying to deny was these ‘feelings’ toward Gazelle the pop star. He sat with the rest of the cast, listening as she sang the only music number she got for the musical.

            Gazelle had been on _Gary_ _and Larry in the Morning_ that day. The overly cheerful wolves asked her what she thought of getting such a minor role when she had such talent.

“It doesn’t matter how many lines you get in a play,” Gazelle told them. “What matters is that you enjoy playing the character and I like how spunky Mooda Larkin is. That and I sing for a living. I don’t want to overshadow someone else’s talent just because I happen to get paid for doing what I love.”

            She was so wholesome, almost perfect and Wade sometimes wondered if she was real. Mammals weren’t good for the sake of being good anymore and yet, Gazelle seemed to fit that mold just, well, perfectly.

  _Doesn’t matter_ , a nasty voice in his head told him, _like you’d have a shot with her anyway_.

Wade tried to ignore the truth in the voice’s words. Besides, he didn’t like Gazelle anyway, not really. She was a celebrity, it was just that famous mammal worship all commoners had, and it would pass with time… It would pass with time.

            “ _Now listen, sport, this life’s too short to waste it on you. It may be rough, but soon enough I’ll learn to make do with the mansion, the oil well, the diamonds the yacht, with Andy, Eduardo, the pontiff, and Scott and Frank._ ”

 Wade noticed some of the extras eyeing her a little too hungrily for Wade’s taste and he tried to clamp down the angry feeling burning in his gut. Yes, he was her bodyguard but unless they made a move for her he shouldn’t care. He didn’t care. He didn’t.

 Wade forced his attention back on Gazelle as she finished her solo, “ _Cause there’s one thing you ain’t, that I’ll always be, and honey, yeah, that’s right, that’s rich_!”

 The crowd applauded and she smiled fondly at them all, her eyes lingering on Wade longer than he thought was normal before she walked off the stage to talk to Mrs. Armadio. She was ready to accept any criticism the armadillo had to offer but apparently the drama teacher was just as star struck as the rest of the world.

            When Mrs. Armadio moved on to work on the next scene Gazelle sat down next to Wade and smiled at him, he had taken note that since the Halloween party her smiles had grown in size. It was a feat he hadn’t believed was possible.

“It’s so much fun up there,” Gazelle told him, pointing to the stage. “I can’t wait for you to get up there and blow everyone away with _your_ talent.”

Wade resisted the urge to roll his eyes, Spot Collieon was hardly a main character but he didn’t say anything. He knew just as the rest of The Zoo, that Wade Jones being in a _musical_ was something worth pondering over.

And he was doing it because a pretty girl had batted her eyelashes and despite himself he had fallen for it just like every other male that ever met her.

 But he didn’t say that. “I’m gonna run you out of business, Pop Star.”

 Gazelle giggled and playfully nudged his shoulder before standing up and walking over to talk to Sven who was still enjoying a snack all on his lonesome. But Wade was looking down on the shoulder she had touched, mulling over the fact he hadn’t flinched. That had been happening far too much, she was touching him and he was starting to not mind. Wade lived off an instinctual inner mantra: Don’t let anyone touch you, because they will hurt you, be it physically or emotionally.

 But he was starting to let that pop star touch him like he was her private property.  

 

.

 

            Finnick felt Fru Fru sigh fondly in his ear. That was sigh number forty six if he was counting right; he had started keeping track after the first practice.

The shrew apparently couldn’t help releasing a dreamy breath of air every time Nick and Judy interacted, be it on stage or off.

At the moment the two smaller mammals sat watching their friends rehearse their first scene together: _I Never Planned on You/Don’t Come A-Knocking_.

While a couple of sheep sung the second song Nick was following an annoyed Judy around the stage, singing as he went: “ _Love at first sights for suckers, at least it used to be_.”

            “This is disturbingly similar to reality,” Finnick muttered under his breath.

Fru Fru overheard him and giggled, “It is, huh? Maybe reality will have a happy ending like the musical?”

Finnick cast her a look once she had returned her attention to the stage. Fru Fru was a sweet, if loud and a little eccentric, girl and she truly believed there was something between Nick and Judy; she believed the two could fall in love. Finnick would’ve liked to share the belief except for the fact he was a natural born pessimist (being two feet tall could do that to somebody), and then there was the whole bet thing.

 Finnick parted his mouth, it was bad enough Judy was going to suffer from the bet; he didn’t think Fru should too. But the words didn’t come and when Fru Fru noticed him looking at her he gave a helpless shrug and smile before he turned his attention back to the stage.

            “What are you doing?” ‘Catherine’ demanded of ‘Jackal’.

“Quiet down, there’s a show going on,” Jackal replied.

“You are the most impossible boy-”

“Shhh,” Jackal placed a finger to his lips.

Annoyed Catherine leaned forward to nearly touch noses with him, “ _Ever_.”

 As much as he wanted to, this bet wasn’t for Finnick to try and fix.

 

.

 

            Rick had been with Nick all seventeen years of the teenaged fox’s life. So he knew when his younger brother was getting invested into something, and as of late that thing was Judy Hopps and Zoosies.

 He sat in the auditorium; one of his textbooks was sprawled across his legs as he was supposed to be studying for finals. But his eyes kept trailing up to his brother who was singing on stage with the rest of the cast who would be playing zoosies.

“ _And the world will know! That this ain’t no game. That we got a ton of rotten fruit and perfect aim. So they gave their word? Well it ain’t worth beans! Now they gonna see what “Stop the presses” really means_.”

 Nick face was split into a smile as he and Finnick led the song. His green eyes were trailing over the cast and kept glancing over at Judy who was standing at the edge of the stage, smiling softly at the cast.

 It was because of her. Whatever had Nick suddenly interested in Judy it was making Nick smile more, and Rick was grateful. He could still remember the younger fox who always laughed and grinned and would love to fall in love.

 Rick never would’ve suspected that one little bunny from the tri-burrows was bringing that all back, even if neither of them realized it.

 

.

 

            “ _“Write what you know” so they say, all I know is I don’t know what to write or the right way to write it. This is big, lady, don’t screw it up, this is not some little vaudeville I’m reviewing._ ”

 Nick sat in the front row with Finnick, Fru Fru, and Honey (the latter had been helping building the props for the play but had taken a break). They were watching Judy rehearse her first number/solo _Watch What Happens_ and the bunny was doing great.

 One didn’t have to listen to her to tell that though, they could just look at Nick. His elbows were on his knees, his head resting in his paws and he was tenderly smiling at the bunny with the dreamiest look in his green eyes as he watched her sing.

  His smile grew when Judy started to sing about Jackal Kelly: “ _Picture a handsome, heroically, charismatic-plain spoken, know nothing, skirt-chasing cocky little song of a-lie down with dogs and you wake up with a raise and a promotion. So, he’s a flirt a complete ego maniac. The fact is he’s also the face of the strike-what a face-face the fact, that’s a face that could save us all from sinking in the ocean._ ”

 Nick let out a breathy laugh, catching the attention of the three animals sitting with him. “She thinks I’m handsome, and heroic, and charming.”

 Fru Fru and Honey shared a giggle but the honey badger abruptly stopped when she caught Finnick’s look. Honey held in a sigh, that’s right, the bet. She glanced down at Nick, but the fox’s green eyes didn’t show a glint of mischievous or malice. It was like he had forgotten all about the gamble, the thought made Honey smile.

 

.

 

            “ _Now is the time to seize the day they’re gonna see there’s hell to pay! Nothing can break us no one can make us quite before we’re done! One for all and all for one and one for all and all for one_!”

  Mrs. Armadio cheered for the cast as they finished the song. “Good, good, you’re all doing so well. This play is going to be amazing.”

 The armadillo shuffled around the students, offering gentle criticism to anyone who needed it and reminded them to not get too cocky and keep studying.

 She left for her office when the break started and Fru Fru scurried over to Judy’s side, allowing her friend to pick her up so they could be at eye level with each other.

 “This has been so much fun,” the shrew squealed.

Judy smiled at her friend, “Yeah it has.”

 The shrew looked around the stage to the rest of their classmates, “But I think part of the fun is the company we’re keeping.”

 “Yeah,” Judy agreed, “It is cool to be in a play with the one and only _Gazelle_.” Said singer was crouched before Percy, the rabbit talking animatedly to her.

Fru Fru rolled her eyes, “You know that’s not who I’m talking about.”

“I like to remind you Nick and Finnick aren’t the only students in St. Zoo,” Judy told her, “Just in case you forgot.”

 “Yes and they’re all very important and irreplaceable individuals,” Fru replied. “But only one of them is madly in love with you.”  
 Judy’s now blushing ears shot up, and she frowned at her friend, “I wish you’d stop that Fru Fru. Nick isn’t in love with me. He isn’t even-”

            “Carrots! Princess!” Nick’s voice suddenly interrupted their conversation. They looked up to see the fox peeking from the backstage curtain along with Honey.

“Come here,” he whispered loudly to them.

“Whose Princess?” Fru Fru asked.

“I think that’s you,” Judy replied.

The shrew smiled, warmed by the flattery.

Judy was slightly worried about going backstage with the fox but then remembered Fru Fru and Honey would be with them. So, curiosity rising, Judy walked over and followed them backstage.

 “What is it?” Fru asked Nick.

The fox was grinning, “Okay, don’t get mad but Honey and I stumbled across the costumes from the Wizard of Ox’s play.”

 Judy cock an eyebrow, “And?”

 “What size dress do you wear?” Honey asked. But before Judy could answer the badger pushed her toward one of the backstage doors, Nick following after them and opening the door for the three girls.

They stepped inside a large dressing room to find it filled to the brim with the costumes of the Wizard of Ox. Judy’s mouth dropped while Fru Fru grinned at Honey and Nick.

 “ _Please_ tell me you brought us in here for the reason I think you did.”

            A couple of minutes later Fru Fru spun around the dressing room in the checkered dress and ruby slippers of Doeorthy (while in the original book the character had been a doe, the student to play her in last year’s play had been a mouse), all the while singing _Under the Rainbow_.

 Honey laughed as she watched the shrew, the badger having dressed up at The Lion. Nick sat in front of a makeup mirror; it turned out the only costume that would fit him was the Wicked Wolf of the West (having been played by a vixen last year).

 “Come on, Carrots,” he called out to Judy who was still behind the dressing curtain. “Let’s see you.”

 “Isn’t this against the rules?” Judy called to him.

 He shrugged, “It’s not like they play on using these costumes any time soon. Besides, didn’t you hear Mrs. Armadio? We’re awesome, we deserve this.”

Judy made a sound of disbelief but a moment later she stepped, adorned in the sparkling pink gown of Grinda the Good Wolf (who had been amusedly played by a small sheep).

            Nick let out an appreciative growl that made Judy glare at him. And then Fru Fru was scurrying over to the rabbit and telling her she looked so pretty.

Nick stood up and managed not to trip over his dress as he made it to the bunny’s side, “Do you feel like a princess?” he asked her.

 Judy rolled her eyes but ended up smirking at him, “Not like you do, Gorgeous.”

 Nick chuckled and Fru Fru’s smile only widened before an idea sparked into her head. “I need to show this to Finnick!” she gasped, looking down at her own costume. She hurried to the door, “Can you come with me Honey?” she asked of the honey badger, “I need to take a picture of myself so I can send it to Clawhauser.” She looked at Judy, “And then I’m coming back to take a picture of you.”

 Fru Fru and Honey left the room, leaving Judy alone with Nick. That fact made the bunny more nervous than she should. What did she think was going to happen? That Nick was going to eat her?

            The fox smiled down at her, “But seriously, _do_ you feel like a princess?”

Judy looked down at the dress, it was nice…but a little too puffy and pink for her taste. “Not really,” she said honestly, not catching the way Nick’s ears drooped in disappointment. “I think the closest I came to ever feeling like a princess was when I went to a Carrot Formal when I was eight.”

 The fox’s head cocked to the side, “Yeah?”

With her eyes still on the dress Judy smiled softly at the memory, “I wore this pretty sun yellow dress and went with my brothers and sisters that were in my litter. We thought we were so grown up because our parents weren’t chaperoning us. I even made a flower crown and everything.”

 Nick was sharing her smile, “Did you dance with any other rabbits?”

 Judy looked up in thought, “I danced with my brothers once or twice…but I don’t think I asked any other boys to dance.”

 “How come?” he asked.

 She shrugged, “I wasn’t interested.” Though if she remembered correctly it wasn’t just the other rabbits’ fault, back then all Judy could think about was that junior ranger scout she had met just days before the formal. She had even worn his handkerchief as a necklace when she went.

            Nick suddenly stretched, “Well, as much as this dress shows off how great my hips are, I think I’m ready to wear pants again.”

He moved toward the dressing curtain but ended up tripping over the trim of his dress, Judy shot her paws out to keep him from falling. But she had forgotten how heavy the fox was and hadn’t braced herself for the weight and as soon as she had grabbed his arm she was falling too.

 Thankfully their fall wasn’t as clumsy as past ones and Nick ended up on his back, Judy catching herself on her paws and knees over him. Their noses were a hair apart as they both looked at each with matching surprised expressions. Neither had been prepared to be this close to where they could feel each other’s body heat, Judy wouldn’t be surprised if Nick could hear how her heart had picked up, she could hear his.

 Finally Nick pulled his lips up and released a slightly breathless chuckle, “Carrots?”

“Yeah?” she exhaled, feeling the warmth of his breath over her muzzle. 

“We really need to stop meeting like this,” the fox joked.

 “Uh, yeah,” Judy stammered, taking note of how _green_ Nick’s eyes were. They were a finer shade than the trees back at the burrows. “We really do.”

 Their voices trailed off but neither tried to move, if someone saw them then it would look like the fox and rabbit were perfectly content to just stare into each other’s eyes.

            But then Judy’s ears pricked as she heard voices passing by the door and she quickly scrambled up and away from Nick, muttering apologies as she tried to fix the crinkles in her dress. All the while her ears were hot and her head felt light headed and even when Nick had disappeared behind the curtain she could still feel his eyes on her.

 


	29. Chapter 29

Judy defied the urge to heave a sigh as the sniffling continued in her ear. Said sniffling belonged to Fru Fru and Percy. She looked over to the shrew and rabbit, both of them had tears in their eyes as they watched Nick perform the _Santa Fur Reprise_.

It was an emotional song and so far the only song the fox was having problems with. It required a level of melancholy emotion that Nick wasn’t able to reach.

 Watching him as Mrs. Armadio gave him more instructions, Judy remembered his mantra: _Never let them see that they get to you_. And she wondered if, even if it was just acting, he couldn’t manage to get out of that mindset.

 But despite the drama teacher’s insistence Nick could do better, Fru and Percy were taking his acting hook, line, and sinker. “He’s so good at this,” Percy blubbered and Fru Fru nodded in agreement. The two sat between Judy and Leodore, the latter gave Judy a look that said he shared her feelings about the two’s emotional status. She shrugged helplessly at him.

            Mrs. Armadio told Nick to start again and Judy noticed the closest thing to insecure the fox could muster flash across his face. His eyes trailed over to her and the others, looking mildly surprised by Fru Fru and Percy’s weeping. When his eyes met Judy she offered an encouraging smile and it looked like the fox took the smile to heart.

 He took in a deep breath and sang: “ _Let me go. Far away. Somewhere they won’t ever fine me, and tomorrow wont’ remind me of today_.” His voice was finally dropping to a disheartened tenor and Judy smiled despite her the sobbing that grew louder.

 “ _Just be real is all I’m asking…Not some painting in my head…Cause I’m dead if I can’t count on you today…I got nothing if I ain’t got…Santa Fur…_ ”

 

.

 

            For once Judy practiced without Nick around, the song they were focusing on today didn’t involve him and he had left with Rick. Today she practiced with Finnick, Fru Fru, and the other zoosies as they sang _King of New Yak_.

 Tables were placed on the stage, where certain members of the cast would be dancing atop them as they sang:

 “ _A solid gold watch with a chain to twirl it…_ ”

“ _My very own bed and an indoor terlet…_ ”

“ _A barbershop haircut that cost a quarter…_ ”

 Finnick pulled Judy onto the table as he sang his line: “ _A regular beat for the star reporter_!”

 Judy’s body thrummed with adrenaline as she danced and sang along with the rest of the crowd. Smiling her most confident as she did so.

 “ _We was sunk, pale and pitiful_.”

“ _Buncha wet noodles_!”

 “ _Pawitzer’s poodles_.”

 “ _Almost about to drown in the drink_ ,” Fru Fru twirled.

“ _When she fished us out!_ ”

“ _And drowned us in ink!_ ”

 Judy’s voice burst through the auditorium, “ _So let’s get drunk! Not on liquor. Fame works quicker, when you’re king of New Yak_.”

            They finished the song with only one porcupine falling off (but he jumped back up as spry as ever). Judy smiled at Finnick as the two jumped off their own table and stretched, ready for a break.

“You’re surprisingly good at this, Finnick,” Judy told him.

He shrugged in what could have been considered a bashful manner, “It’s not so bad… Not as bad as it _could_ be…I guess.”

Judy smirked, starting to wonder if Nick got his prickliness (a prickliness she hadn’t seen for a while now) from his older friend.

 “Uh oh, his ears are red,” Honey appeared from back stage and immediately headed over to her friend, smiling at the now bashful fennec fox. “Was someone actually nice to you?”

 Finnick adorably pouted, making him look younger than he was and causing the two girls to giggle.

 “How are the props coming along, Honey?” Judy asked the honey badger.

“Fantastic,” Honey placed her paws on her hips and lifted her nose triumphantly in the air. “I am my Dad’s daughter and he taught me to build my own place with only a board and three nails before I could even walk.”

Judy smiled at her, remembering seeing the intimidating badger back when they had all been punished with detention.

  She watched Honey and Finnick share a casual conversation and realized she actually really liked these two. Finnick may have seen a short-tempered and rude fennec fox but he was actually pretty nice once you got to know him, and wise if his advice about Rick was anything to go by.

 And Honey may have been…eccentric, but she was always ready for a smile and a tender look in her eyes for her two friends.

 Nick was lucky to have him.

            “So how goes Princess’s wooing of you?” Honey asked Finnick with a sly smile on her face.

Finnick’s glower was puzzled, “Princess?”

“That’s what Nick calls Fru Fru,” Judy told him.

 Finnick frowned, “You’d think he’d give his best friend a nickname.”

 “He calls you Fin,” Judy pointed out.

“That doesn’t count its still my name just minus ‘nick’.”

 Honey grinned proudly, “I’m Sugar and Darling and Honey Bunches of Oats.”

 Judy giggled at Finnick’s slightly affronted expression. “At least you’re not Carrots,” she told him.

 “You said it wrong,” Honey told the rabbit, making Judy frown.

“Nick doesn’t say Carrots,” Finnick told her. “He says _Carrots_.” The last word came out in a dreamy sigh, Finnick blinking fondly like he was a damsel dreaming of her prince charming.

 Judy laughed along with Honey, ignoring the heat beneath her fur and the red of her ears.

 

.

 

            The stage had been taken over by the crew, fixing up the buildings for Zoosies and needing the space. Since today Mrs. Armadio only planned on working on _Watch What Happens_ , she sent Judy, Fru Fru, Nick, and Finnick (the four who sang the song) to the basically empty gym to practice.

 The only other mammals at the gym were Charlie, Bogo, and a few other students who were getting a workout with the exercising equipment. Bogo lifted a pair of very large weights and Charlie running on a treadmill.

            The four picked an empty corner of the gym and practiced the song: “ _Get those kids to see we’re circling victory. And watch what happens. We’re doing something no one’s even tried and yes, we’re terrified but watch what happens_.”

 Their singing caught Charlie’s attention who slowed the treadmill down in order to watch them. She hadn’t been paying much attention to the progressing of Zoosies, mainly for the fact Sven and Gazelle were in it and she was taking great pains to avoid the two of them as well as Winter. But she had heard that Nick and Judy were playing leads and if the whispers of the hallways were to be true it sounded like the two had obvious chemistry.

 Watching the two sing with their friends Charlie could sense what everyone had been talking about and it made her heart sink with dread. She hoped neither tried to make their relationship anything deeper than a friendship, they were a fox and a rabbit, they were natural enemies, it would never work out… Just like a cheetah and a reindeer.

            “Hi, Charlie,” Judy’s voice broke her from her reverie in time to see the rabbit sprinting across the gym to her side.

“Hey, Judy,” Charlie greeted her, stopping her treadmill entirely. “Is your practice over already?”

 Judy shook her head, “We’re just taking a break. Nick went off to get some snacks. Fru Fru and Finnick…” she glanced over her shoulder where the shrew was talking Finnick’s ear off, the fox didn’t seem to mind, “Are being Fru Fru and Finnick.”

 She leaned against the treadmill and smiled up at Charlie, her violet eyes pondering and the cheetah’s sense of dread rose. “Is everything okay? You’ve been so distant from everyone. Gazelle told me you two haven’t talked in days.”

 Charlie tried to shrug the bunny’s words off, “Life has just been hectic for a few days, I just need some…quiet time.”

 Judy’s brow furrowed, she wasn’t buying what Charlie was selling. “Sven’s been pretty down lately.”

 The cheetah cringed; everyone was always right on the dot when it came to her and Sven. “Is that so?”

 “You two looked like you had such a good time back at the Halloween party,” Judy pointed out. “What happened?”

 “He thinks there’s more to… _us_ …then there really is.”

 “So you only seem him as a friend?” the bunny clarified.

“Yes,” Charlie lied.

 “Then just tell him that.”  
The world had such a knack of making the hardest things sound so easy. “It’s more complicated than that, Judy… You wouldn’t understand.”

 The bunny opened her mouth to say something when Fru Fru called for her. Nick had returned with the snacks and was passing them out to the shrew and Finnick. Judy looked at the red fox with a torn look in her eyes. “I think I’d understand better than I want to,” Judy sighed, she told Charlie goodbye and headed back to her friends.

Charlie turned the treadmill back on and focused all her thoughts on running.

 

.

 

            “ _Time’s running out, kid, so what do you say? Cowboy or convict, I win either way_ ,” Leodore growled the words delightfully at Nick who was watching him in silent anger. The two stood on stage, behind them the freshly made buildings added to the mood. “ _Your abject surrender was always the bottom line_.”

 While he sang Bellwether sat with Percy, the bunny smiling at his friend, ready to jump up and offer him praise when he finished his song. Dawn however was watching with a more critical eye, after all one of Leodore’s friends had to keep his ego in check.

            Hearing the auditorium door open Dawn looked over her shoulder and would’ve spit out her drink if she had had one in hoof.

 A lioness stood at the door, decked out in black jeans and a top that was decorated with the logo of some metal band. The fur under her left eye was dyed into the shape of a black star and several earrings pierced her ears. She looked around the auditorium with a haughty air, her eyes resting on Leodore, a slow smirk curling her lips and revealing her glistening fangs.

 Despite the many years Bellwether recognized the lioness from pictures at the Lionheart house. It was Lucy, Leodore’s half sister.

 The lioness watched with glinted amusement as her brother continued to sing, oblivious to Lucy’s presence. “ _Too_ _bad you’ve no job, Jack, but you did resign. Too bad you’ve no family, but you can’t have mine. Be glad you’re alive, boy, I’d say that’s the bottom line_.”

 Lucy’s eyes suddenly turned to Dawn and the sheep realized she had been staring, she quickly whirled around with flaming ears, her eyes on the stage as Leodore and Nick finished up.

            She kept her eyes on Leodore as he stretched, then watched as he looked to her and Percy with a smile (said rabbit was still clapping), then his eyes looked up and he saw his sister. His smile dropped.

 “Hello, little brother,” Lucy purred, strutting over to Leodore as he reluctantly climbed off the stage. “It’s been too long.” She pulled him into a hug before he could have a word in; Dawn could see her claws glint and realized they had been capped by some silver metal (probably iron).

 “Lucy,” Leodore tried to put some warmth into his words as his sister stepped back. “It _has_ been too long.” He looked over her tattered clothing and piercing and his smile became strained, “You look good.”

 “Hmm,” Lucy hummed like she could see her brother’s reluctance to compliment her. “Father said you were practicing for a school musical.” Her smile only grew, “He didn’t seem too pleased by the fact.”

 Leodore rolled his eyes, “He’s not pleased unless I’m following _directly_ in his footsteps.”

 “Wow, glad he doesn’t put that kind of pressure on me,” Lucy purred. She then seemed to remember to be nice and patted Leodore’s head. “Poor baby brother.”

Leodore swatted her paw away, already looking tired and harassed, “What are you doing all the way in Savannah Central, Lucy?”

 “I’d say it’s to visit my favorite brother but then I remembered you’re my only brother,” Lucy tittered.

“And I’m not your favorite,” Leodore added but was ignored.

 “Father wanted me to tell you the Lionheart reunion is going to be held this winter break at Grandpa Leon’s place, why he couldn’t wait to tell you when he got home I don’t know-nor do I care.”

 Bellwether who still sat with Percy (the rabbit watching the scene like it was his favorite TV show) felt a twinge of disappointment at those words. She had sorta hoped Leodore could spend time with her and her mother during the break but she remembered the last time Leodore had a family reunion; the Lionheart pride would take up all his time.

 Lucy looked over her shoulder, her eyes going to the sheep and rabbit. “Those two keep staring at us,” she said, not even trying to whisper.

 Leodore glanced at his friends, his expression looking torn for some reason before grabbing his sister’s arm. “Well you can’t blame them with all that metal in your ears. Let’s go talk in the hall.” He quickly led her out without sparing a glance to Dawn or Percy.

            “Leodore has a _sister_?” Percy gasped as soon as soon as the auditorium doors closed behind the two lions.

“Yes, half sister,” Dawn told him, her eyes on the closed door. “They don’t get along that well, so it’s weird to see her visiting him…”

“Where are you going?” Percy asked her as she stood up and walked away.

 “I’m going to make sure she doesn’t get him into trouble,” Dawn told him. “I’ll call you later.”

            Bellwether slipped out of the auditorium and pricked her ears, trying to hear Leodore’s rumbling voice. She managed to make out his and Lucy’s chatter, and headed right. She followed the voices until she spotted the two standing next to a water fountain. Leodore taking a drink while Lucy was talking, her next words had Bellwether stopping and hiding behind a nearby trashcan.

“And what’s with that sheep?” her words escaped from curled lips.

Leodore finished his drink and stood up straight; he was taller than Lucy now and looked down at her, “Dawn?”

“Yes, that little sheep that’s been following you around since you were a runt,” Lucy clarified, the words carried a sting but Bellwether reminded herself that she could care less what Leodore’s half sister had to say about her. “Haven’t you grown out of her yet?”

 Leodore’s eyes narrowed and Bellwether waited for him to say something. He didn’t.

“I mean, I get why you two were friends when you were a cub, she was one of the few mammals smaller than you. It was kind of cute, I’ll admit, but now it’s just weird.” Bellwether could _hear_ Lucy’s condescending smirk: “Do other lions still not like you?”

 “I’m actually pretty popular here,” Leodore growled.

Lucy chuckled, “Father said the only mammals he sees you hanging out with are that sheep and some bunny rabbit. Sounds like the only animals that are impressed by you are some tiny little prey.”

Bellwether scowled and stayed silent, waiting for Leodore to tell her off.

The lion’s eyes were glaring at his sister, his lips pulled into a tight frown, and then he spoke: “Haven’t you ever heard of pity, Lucy?”

 Bellwether flinched at the words but Leodore kept talking. “Those two are hardly the most likable animals in this school I only…I just wanted to make them feel big and important. Cause you know, as soon as I graduate and leave they’ll be forced back into their sad humdrum little lives.” He smiled at his sister, “Just because we’re lions doesn’t mean we can’t be merciful.”

            Bellwether didn’t hear Lucy’s reply, she was already walking away.

 

.

 

            As Wade sang along with the assemble cast with their one song ( _Brooklick’s Here_ ), Gazelle watched from the front row with Mrs. Armadio and other members of the cast and crew. She smiled at the wolf, glad he was looking comfortable up on the stage. She remembered when she had asked Wade to audition for the play, the wolf hadn’t liked the idea but Gazelle convinced him he would need to be part of the play if he was going to be a successful bodyguard.

 He, of course, had had stage fright when they first started to rehearse but since Halloween he had seemed more…willing, to be at her side. And Gazelle would be lying if she said that didn’t make her incredibly happy. Whatever had happened in the haunted house had caused Gazelle’s heart to speed up faster than usual whenever the wolf was in her sight.

            When the song came to an end, Gazelle jumped to her feet and cheered loudly, clapping her hooves enthusiastically and drawing attention to herself from the entire auditorium, she secretly wanted to embarrass Wade if only to see him hide under his hoodie, she had always found that adorable.

But instead Wade looked at her with a fond and exasperated expression before he laughed. It was much quieter than when he was in the haunted house, it was breathy and raspy and it turned his lips up into a very rare smile.

Gazelle beamed as well as the entire crowd looked at the wolf with open-eyed shock and wonder. Maybe for the first time in well, ever, they were seeing Wade as one of their own, and it nearly drowned Gazelle in pride.

 

.

 

            Judy was sent out of class to deliver a note to the gym teacher, her eyes on the floor as she walked down the hall. Her head was buzzing and her nerves were on edge.

Just yesterday Mrs. Armadio told her she and Nick would start practicing their love song, _Something to Believe In_ today. And in that song Jackal and Catherine kissed.

 The thought sent her pounding heart on overdrive. She had known when she auditioned for Zoosies she would have to kiss _someone_ but she didn’t expect that someone to be Nick Wilde. She wasn’t completely sure why the thought bothered her so much, maybe she just felt awkward since she already kissed his brother…maybe it was because her and Nick’s kiss wouldn’t be real, it would just be acting, something not to get worked over. Judy shook her head before her thoughts could go any further. The point was she _would_ have to kiss Nick so she just needed to get over it.

            She arrived at the gym that was empty. Odd, she knew the juniors had gym class for third period. Shrugging she headed to the back of the gym where the locker rooms, along with the gym teacher’s office, was located.

 As she passed the boy’s locker room she could hear the sound of chatter and showers, the class must have ended earlier than she thought it would.

 Judy stopped before the office door and knocked on the door, when no one answered she opened the door a crack and found the room empty. She pouted and closed the door, looking at the note in her paw. She guessed she could just head back to class and tell her teacher he wasn’t there, but she hated to leave an errand unfinished.

 Shrugging again because she couldn’t think what else to do beside either waiting for the coach or searching the school for him, Judy turned around to head back to class-only to see Nick walking out of the locker room in nothing but a towel.

            Judy let out a yip and whirled around, yanking her ears over her closed eyes.

She heard Nick laugh and she was sure her fur was catch fire she was so flustered.

“I thought I smelled carrots,” he said. “You weren’t trying to get a free show of the boy’s locker room, were you Fluff?”

 “ _No_!” she snapped a little too forcefully, still keeping her back to him. “I came to deliver a note to Coach Bullrun but he wasn’t in his office so I was heading back to class.”  
 “Stick around he just went to his car to get a snack,” Nick told her. “He finds the vending machine food here too unhealthy. I think he’d faint if he saw one of us eating a chocolate bar in front of him.”

 “I have an aunt who’s like that,” Judy told him out of nowhere before dwindling off into silence.

 A silence that was short lived. “You know I have a towel on right?” Nick asked her. “You can look at me when I talk to you.”

 Curiosity betrayed her and Judy peeked over her shoulder, Nick had a white towel wrapped around his waist and his arms were crossed. His usually fiery orange pelt was dark from showering and stuck up in odd places. She purposely kept her eyes on his face so as not to look at his chest that was covered in cream colored fur that slid down in a line down his stomach to disappear under the fabric that protected his modesty.

It was because she was focusing on his eyes that she caught the spark of amusement in the emerald depths. “Like what you see?” he winked.

 Judy turned her head back around, her stomach twisting into knots; you’d think _she_ was the one half naked with how embarrassed she felt. “Why are you still here? You’re making a puddle on the floor.”

She imagined Nick would look down at his feet to see only a few droplets of water on the tile floor. She heard the fox laugh, “I think I can afford keeping you company until old Bullrun comes back.”

 When Judy didn’t reply, her back still to him, Nick continued, “Lighten up, Carrots. In just a few more hours you and me will be making out.”

 Judy flinched at his words and glanced over her shoulder to give him a pained look. The expression had Nick’s eyes widening before narrowing and he suddenly looked defensive. “Why are you looking at me like that? You knew when you auditioned you were going to have to kiss _somebody_.”

“I didn’t expect it to be you,” she said honestly.

Nick’s ears drooped and his face seemed to say: _“What’s wrong with me?”_ But instead he said, “It’s just a stage kiss, nothing to get worked up over.”

 “I can’t help it,” Judy admitted, hugging herself. “I just…it’s…and you…” She let out a heavy sigh, “I just don’t think I’m ready. But I’m just going to have to get over it I guess…”  
 “Get over it,” Nick breathed as if he couldn’t believe she had just said that.

Just then Coach Bullrun appeared, walking toward them with a bowl of salad, his eyebrows rose when he saw the two but then Judy was hurrying over and shoved the note into his hoof, “Thisisforyougoodbye!” And then she was dashing back to her class, her ears still flaming red.

 

.

 

            And so a few hours later Judy sat on the stage with Fru Fru, trying to calm her nerves and remind herself that she would have to kiss Nick Wilde in a matter of days in front of the entire school no matter what happened today. It did not help. Nor did the fact Fru Fru kept casting her sly glances that made Judy’s throat tighten.

“Miss Hopps!” Mrs. Armadio’s voice had the bunny turning around to see her standing beside the stage’s curtains, Nick was standing next to her, paws in his pockets and looking calm, cool, and collected as ever. “Come here please.”

 Feeling a sense of dread Judy sucked in a breath and walked over to the two, all the while her thoughts raced with what Mrs. Armadio had to say, wondering what Nick had told her. Were they supposed to practice the kissing right now!?

            “So as you should already know,” Mrs. Armadio started as soon as Judy stopped before her. “Your characters, Jackal and Catherine, are supposed to share their first kiss in the middle of _Something to Believe In_ and one more at the end of the musical. But Nick here has come up with something I think would be interesting to see.”

 Judy swallowed and glanced at the fox, he was looking at their teacher. “What?”

“He thinks that saving the kiss for the actual play will add a sense of realness to the musical. After all it would be the first time Jackal and Catherine kiss; he says it could be a way of stepping into the characters’ paw prints.”

Judy’s ears shot up in surprise and she looked at Nick who still wasn’t meeting her eye, “Really? And you agree with him?”  
 “It’s a little unconventional but I do imagine your kisses would lose their spark if we practice them over and over. So I don’t think it’s too bad of an idea.”

 “So…Nick and I _aren’t_ kissing today?”

Mrs. Armadio laughed as if the rabbit had told a joke, “No, not today. But we’re still practicing singing so PLACES EVERYONE!” Her last two words had been yelled and the once relaxing cast scrambled to their feet to get into position.

 Judy’s eyes hadn’t left Nick, “What did you do that for?”

He glanced at her and smirked, the action less sarcastic than usual, “I’m giving you time to get over it.” He winked before walking off to join the rest of the cast, Judy watched him go, her eyes still large with disbelief.

 _Ba-thump_.

Judy glanced down at her chest and scowled.

 _Ba-thump_.

 “Stupid heart,” she whispered to herself, “You cut that out.”

 

.

 

            Lucy’s visit was still fresh in Leodore’s mind as he relaxed backstage, listening to the rest of the cast sing _Once and For All_.

Beside him sat Percy who was swaying to the music, his prop, a rabbit-sized crutch, sat in his lap.

“ _Once and for all, something tells me the tide’ll be turnin’_ ,” he sang quietly along. “ _Once and for all, there’s a fire inside me that won’t stop burnin’ now that the choices are clear, now that tomorrow is here watch how the mighty will fall once and for all_.”

 Leodore chuckled at the small rabbit. He was glad one of them was having a good time, Leodore couldn’t help but keep his thoughts on the Lionheart reunion and what’ll no doubt happen there.

 Relatives bragging about so and so, this and that, asking Leodore if he was going to follow his father’s footsteps (he was a lawyer), and why didn’t he have a girlfriend yet. And knowing his sister she would tell plenty of their relatives how he spent all his time with Dawn and Percy. Despite the lie he had told her that he only pitied the two his sister had seen right through it, but his desired objective had been met, she had stopped talking about them.

            He wondered if Lucy planned on coming to Zoosies opening night, his parents would come he knew that much. His mother actually liked the idea of him performing in plays as she had siblings and cousins who had starred in Boarway. But his father…he would come just because it would be expected of him and to appease his wife. He didn’t care for anything his son did that didn’t involve becoming a lawyer and ending just like himself. The fact he would have to suffer through that for all of winter break made his stomach clench, he wouldn’t even have Dawn to visit/vent to. Partly because his grandfather’s house (which was so large it was basically a mansion), and partly because Dawn had been ignoring him ever since Lucy had paid her visit.

 Leodore wasn’t completely worried about it, the two had been friends since childhood and they had had their fair share of arguments which led them to avoid each other for a day or two before either apologizing or pretending like it had never happen. But for the life of Leodore he had no idea what he had done this time to get on the sheep’s venomous side.

            As if his thoughts had summoned her, the backstage door opened and in came Bellwether, looking around before spotting the two and walking over. The two smiled at her but Dawn only returned Percy’s grin.

 “I just wanted to tell you goodbye,” she told the rabbit. “You have a ride home?”

Percy nodded, “My dad’s picking me up. See you tomorrow?”

“See you tomorrow,” Dawn nodded and turned around to walk away.

Leodore reached his arm across Percy to grab her arm, the cords of muscle in her arm tightened, making the lion frown. “You aren’t going to say goodbye to me?” he asked in a half joking manner.

Dawn turned to look up at him and Leodore nearly flinched at the cold look in her green eyes. “Bye.” She snatched her arm out of his grip and stomped out of the room.

 “Did you two get into a fight?” Percy asked the lion.

 “If we did she didn’t inform me,” Leodore replied, standing up and heading after her. “Save my seat, Perc.”

            Leodore caught up with Dawn in the hallway, the sheep was still stomping down the hall, and her head hunkered between her shoulders as if she had to keep it from popping off.

 Leodore smirked; he expected steam to blow out of her ears at any second now. “So what did I do wrong this time?”

 Dawn jumped and whirled around; looking surprised to see him, in the midst of her anger she hadn’t heard Leodore catch up with her. Her surprise quickly evaporated and she frowned deeply.

Leodore flashed the smile that usually got him out of tight spots with the sheep, “Did I not finish writing up an essay? Was it the anniversary of when we became the class president and vice president? If you’re worried about the winter finals I _have_ been studying so no need to pressure me about that.”  
            Dawn let out a low breath, ruffling the wool around her neck and the bell she always wore, it chimed as it moved and for a few moments that was the only sound in the hallway. Then Dawn looked up at him, square in the eye, “Do you really not know what you did, Leodore?”

 The lion shrugged, starting to get a little edgy, Dawn usually was quick to tell him exactly what he did wrong. Why was she being so quiet about it now?

 Dawn waited a few minutes; by the look in her eyes she was almost begging Leodore to know but the intense look in her eyes made his mind go blank.

 Finally her face twisted into a scowl and she spoke: “You pitied me.”

 “What?”

 She laughed humorlessly, “Poor Percy, he didn’t get to hear how unlikable and pathetic he was. That you were just pretending to be his friend so he could feel _important_.”

 Leodore flinched as an overwhelming wave of dread washed over him, “You heard…”

“I heard your excuse for being friends with us, yes,” Dawn snapped.

 “It’s not what you think,” Leodore tried to amend, “I just wanted her to get off my back so I said what she wanted to hear.”

 “You see her twice every year,” Dawn growled. “And you couldn’t handle her teasing? Why didn’t you defend us, why didn’t you defend _me_?”

 “Dawn…” Leodore tried to find the right words to make her understand, “…I…”

“You’re ashamed of us, I get it,” Dawn turned on her heel and continued on, “I get it.”

 

.

 

            Tomorrow was the opening night of the Zoosies play. Rick could tell by the sheer energy in the auditorium as he sat in a vacant seat. He didn’t need to see the stage that was decorated crew made buildings of New Yak, of the cast that were trying out their costumes and doing some last minute practicing, of Mrs. Armadio who was running around making sure everything was ready for opening night.

            Rick was waiting patiently for his brother to get done before they headed home, he watched as Judy walked out from backstage, adorned in her regular clothes before she jumped off stage and waved goodbye to the frantic Mrs. Armadio.

He watched the rabbit head up the aisle he was sitting by, but when her eyes found him, she stopped.

Rick offered a faint smile; the two hadn’t talked since the Halloween party and had only crossed paths once or twice in the hallway. “Hey,” he said, hating how awkward the word came out.

“Hi,” she waved her paw feebly, she took a step as if she was about to leave then stopped. She turned back to him, “Can we talk?”

Rick patted the empty seat beside him and Judy sat down next to him, her back straight and her paws folded neatly in her lap. She glanced at the book in the fox’s lap, “Studying for finals?”

 “No, I’m taking a break on that,” he showed her the book was for doctors. “I’m taking an internship at a hospital during winter break.”

“Really?” Judy’s ears stood up, she remembered how he had told her he wanted to be a doctor.

 Rick smiled bashfully, “Yeah, I’m pretty excited for it.”

“You’ll do great,” Judy assured him and the fox’s smile lifted ever so slightly.  

            “So what did you want to talk about?” he asked her.

Judy forced herself to meet his eyes, “I…I really hate tiptoeing around you. I hate how things ended between us.”

 Rick’s smile turned rueful, “I really didn’t see it ending any other way, Binky.”

She let out a chuckle that was more of an exhale of breath than an actual laugh, “I’ve missed that nickname.”

 “I hear Nick’s been showering you with them,” Rick replied.

 “Oh yeah,” Judy said, her eyes going to the stage even though Nick was no where to be seen. “He’s been acting so weird.”

 Rick glanced at her, “I think he’s starting to like you.”

Judy’s ears flushed red and the fox sniggered. “I…I’m not so sure about that…but he certainly likes flirting with me,” Judy stammered.  

“I’ve noticed,” Rick said, and even those his tone was level she still flinched. “I don’t mind, Judy. Really.”

 She gave him a heartbroken look, “I just feel so guilty.”

“Because you have feelings? It’s no one’s fault that it didn’t work out between us, it’s just high school; it’s just _life_.”

 When Judy still looked unsure he continued, “But I think we could still be friends.”

Her eyes widened, “Really?”

 He beamed, flashing his teeth, “Of course. You’re still the only mammal I know whose actually heard of _The Evening Society_.”

She giggled, and this time it was a real laugh, “We should start a book club specifically for Franklin Bearstain’s books.”

 “Maybe after winter break,” Rick smiled at her. “Hey, Judy?”

The bunny had stood up and was about to walk off when Rick halted her. “Yeah?”  
 “Not that my opinion should matter on this but just to let you know, if something… _happens_ , between you and Nick... I’m okay with it.”

            If Judy had wanted to comment on those words she didn’t get the chance, because just then Nick walked out of the backstage and when he spotted his brother and Judy he scurried toward them with a smile on his face.

 “Who’s excited for tomorrow?” he asked them with his teeth taking up most of his face. “I am.”

 Rick chuckled at his brother’s childish expression, “I can tell.”

“I’m a little nervous,” Judy admitted to the two foxes.

 “Ah, no worries, Carrots,” Nick assured her, shooing her worries away with a paw. “If you forget your lines I’ll distract the audience with my dazzling presence.”

 She snorted in amusement and Rick rolled his eyes, “Ready to go, Nick?”  
 “Yeah,” the younger fox stretched, “I need my beauty sleep.”

            “Nick,” Judy said before the two foxes could walk off.

Nick looked down at her, “Yeah, Carrots?”

 “I just…” the rabbit trailed off for a moment before continuing, “I just never got a chance to say thank you, for what you did with Mrs. Armadio.”  
 Rick’s brow furrowed in confusion while Nick just shrugged off her gratitude, “No big deal.”

 “Do me one more favor?” she asked tentatively.

Nick cocked a brow at her, “I guess?”

“Don’t read into what I’m about to do.”

 “What are you about to-” his words cut off when Judy stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his torso.

 Rick’s own eyes widened at the sight. Nick had his arms spread out almost as if he was scared to touch the bunny, his eyes were bulging and his jaw looked ready to drop. Finally he seemed to collect himself from the shock and hesitantly placed his paws on Judy’s shoulders.

 “Thank you,” she repeated, her voice muffled by his shirt.

“You’re welcome,” Nick breathed.

            Judy pulled away and smiled at the Wilde brothers, “See you two tomorrow.” And then she was walking past them and out the auditorium.

When she was gone Rick turned to his brother who hadn’t moved since the rabbit had released him.

 “You okay?” Rick asked jokingly, stepping in front of his brother to laugh at his stunned expression.

 “She hugged me…” Nick whispered in disbelief.

“Yep,” Rick nodded, “I don’t know what you did but Judy appreciated it.”

 “She _hugge_ d me,” Nick repeated, his voice a little louder as he comprehended the words.

Rick rolled his eyes once again, “I know, Nick, I saw. Now that you got that out of your system are you ready to head-”

 Nick’s arms shot out and grabbed his brother’s shoulders, starling the older fox. Nick looked up at him, his face split into the largest smile Rick had ever seen and his green eyes were sparkling like a pair of freshly polished emeralds: “SHE HUGGED ME!”

 Rick smiled softly as he watched his baby brother pull away the last of his layers. “Yes, she did.”


	30. Chapter 30

The butterflies wouldn’t stop fluttering around in Judy’s stomach. She was sitting in her room, waiting for her aunt and uncle to finish getting their kids together while Judy tried to calm her nerves.

Outside the moon was shining, telling her that at St. Zoo the musical was getting set up and it wouldn’t be too much longer until she was singing in front of an entire crowd.

 “Calm down,” Judy told herself. “You just need to calm down, think of something that relaxes you. Or better yet, something that gives you courage.” She looked around her room…her eyes landed on the junior ranger scout handkerchief.

 

.

 

            When Judy and her family were there seats were already being filled, her aunt Weiss shooed her niece backstage while she and Uncle Herbert went to sit upfront. Judy spotted Amelia Wilde already there.

Accepting her family’s whispers of good luck she scurried backstage and said hi to the cast that were already there while heading straight to the dressing room to put on her costume. Catherine’s skirt was red, matching her vest and the checkered sleeves. Judy smiled to herself in the mirror, straightening her skirt and making sure there were no wrinkles in her outfit before she headed back out.

            With nothing else to do but wait Judy looked around backstage for a familiar face. She spotted Percy peeking through the closed curtains and walked over to him.

“Is it a full house yet?” she asked.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, the seats are filling up and animals are still coming in,” Percy answered, his eyes still looking out at the audience.

“Phew,” Judy placed her paw on her chest, “There go the butterflies again… Are you nervous?”

“Yeah,” Percy said but still looked distracted.

Judy’s brow furrowed, “Something wrong?”  
 “Oh no, no, no,” Percy shook his head, his ears flushing scarlet. “I just…I didn’t think he’d come.”

 “Who?” Judy asked, wondering if he met a relative.

 “Otto,” Percy breathed, eyes gleaming. “I met him at the Halloween party; he was a zombie otter that ate me.”

 Judy giggled at the rabbit’s dreamy smile, Percy looked up at her and noticed the cloth wrapped around her neck. “Is that part of your costume?”

 “No, I brought it from home,” Judy fingered the handkerchief, smiling fondly at it like she always did. Seven years had passed and it still made her feel like a spunky eight year old. “I’m hoping it’ll work as a lucky charm.”

 “Why?” Percy studied the fabric. “What’s so special about it?”

“It was a gift from my hero,” Judy told him. “When I was a little girl I got into a fight with a bully and a fox kit rescued me, he jumped in front of me when the bully tried to claw at me and scared him off. And he was a junior ranger scout; he used this handkerchief to bind up my leg after I hurt it. I give him a flower and a kiss on the cheek as thank you.”

 “Aw,” Percy cooed. “Did you ever run into the scout again?”

She shook her head with a melancholy sigh, “No, I forgot to ask his name. But I really wish I could meet him again…”

            Behind the two, hidden by one of the props, Nick’s eyes widened.

 

.

 

            Finnick was putting on his costume, slipping the shirt on while Rick and Honey sat with him. The red fox waiting to wish his brother good luck before he returned to their mother and Honey was standing with her back to Finnick to protect the small fox’s decency.

 As soon as Finnick had finished changing into his costume Nick barged into the dressing room and slammed the door behind him. He pressed his back against the door, arms splayed out across it as he breathed harshly. 

 “Has the apocalypse started?” Honey asked with a large grin splitting her lips.

“Oh my God…” Nick breathed, “I’m going to seriously pass out.”

 “Why’s that, Nick?” his brother asked calmly, expecting his brother was getting some last minute stage fright.

 Nick was suddenly in Rick’s face, grabbing his arms and shaking him, “SHE’S THE RABBIT!!”  
 “What?”

 “ _Judy_ ,” Nick frantically looked from his brother to his friends. “Judy’s the rabbit!”

 “Wait, wait, wait,” Finnick spoke, looking at Nick incredulously. “You mean _the_ rabbit?”

“Yes, she has my old junior ranger scout handkerchief!”

 “The rabbit you apparently rescued when you were a ranger scout and wouldn’t shut up about?” Rick clarified.

“ _Yes_ , but she obviously didn’t recognize me either!”

 “Judy Hopps,” Honey said, “The rabbit you’re about to go on stage and kiss?”

 If Nick’s fur could’ve paled it would have. “Oh no…”

He looked over his shoulder at the shut door as if he could see through and at the stage beyond, “I can’t do this.”

 “Oh like hell you can’t,” Finnick snapped. “The only reason I’m doing this is because you wanted me to!”

 “But-but,” Nick tried to think of an excuse, wringing his paws together, “Carrots is the _rabbit_.”

 “Isn’t that a good thing?” Rick asked. “I mean, you had a crush on that bunny you rescued for _how_ many years now?”  
 “Yeah and now I have to waste our first kiss on a _stage_!?” Nick realized what he said a moment after he said it and his fur stood on end, his ears a deep red. “I can’t go on,” he moaned, starting to pace. “I’ve been-been insulting and flirting with _the rabbit_ all this time and I figure out _now_!?”

            Rick and Finnick looked at each other, neither knew how to calm Nick down and convince him to go onto stage. “We’re starting in five minutes,” Finnick told him and Rick looked helplessly as his hysterical brother. He and Finnick looked to Honey who made a calming motion with her paws, “I got this.”

 She stepped forward and grabbed Nick’s shoulders, halting the fox’s pacing. “Look at me Nicholas,” Honey ordered in an authoritative tone that had all three boys obeying her. “In five minutes Judy is going to go on stage and expect you to be there to sing with her. If you don’t she’s going to be left alone on that stage to be laughed and mocked by the audience, do you want that to happen?”

 “No. But I-” Nick stammered worriedly. “I-I can’t-”

“ _Nick_ ,” Honey’s sharp tone had him snapping his jaw shut. “That little bunny you rescued all those years ago is only a few feet away from you. And she needs a hero. Will you be that hero?”

 Nick swallowed and then nodded, “Yes,” he wheezed then repeated himself, his voice rising with determination, “Yes! I’ll be that hero!”

 He turned and headed toward the door, opening it and marching off. Honey barely had time to send Finnick and Rick a triumphant smirk before Nick was back and once again in a panic. “I can’t do this, please don’t make me go!”

 “ _Get out there_!” Finnick snapped.

 

.

 

            The play opened up in time and without a hitch, the only distraction was Amelia jumping to her feet and cheering wildly when Nick came onto the stage. She had to be forced back down and shushed by Rick.

 It went on smoothly after that, Nick and Percy opening up the story before the rest of the cast joined them. Jackal Kelly met Davey and Les, ran into the vaudeville style theater were Mooda Larkin worked. Gazelle received loud applause when she sang her song, not surprising.

 And then Judy was on stage and Nick had to sing with her, to his own ears and to the rest of the crowd he sounded perfectly calm and normal, like he was completely comfortable on the stage. Somehow not even Judy could hear how badly his heart was pumping, he thought it would break a rib and his throat was getting dry.

Looking at the bunny he was wondering how in the world he hadn’t realized who she was the moment they met, they had the same shining amethyst eyes, soft gray fur, he remembered how Judy had chased him around, stood up for him, solved mysteries…that cool little bunny hadn’t changed in years.

The only time he got a weird look from anyone was when Judy, Finnick, and so on took note of how he kept running a paw over his scarred cheek.

            And all too quickly the first act ended and then he was standing in the middle of the stage with Judy singing that she had found something to believe in. As Nick sang with her he was painfully aware of all the eyes on them and that in a few moments he’d have to kiss her-a fake kiss, in front of the entire auditorium.

 “ _Do you know what I believe in_ ,” they sang together. “ _Look into my eyes and see_ …”

 Judy closed her eyes, her shoulders tensed, as the music continued to play. This was the moment; Nick stepped forward and lowered his head to be at eye level with the bunny, his mouth dropping closer to her parted lips. But at the last second he pulled away and looked out across the stage, “If things we’re different.”

Judy blinked her eyes open, confused that he hadn’t gone for it but quickly collected herself and recited her next line: “If you weren’t going to Santa Fur?”

 Nick tried to calm his racing heart as he talked with her, his lips burning from the almost kiss. He had wanted to kiss Judy, he had really, really, wanted to. But not like this, just a few hours ago he had been fine with the thought of a stage kiss, he was sure it would break whatever barriers Judy still held against him-and he wouldn’t lie to himself, he had been looking forward to it. But now…Nick had been thinking about that tiny bunny he had rescued for years and yes, he had developed a crush on her and once upon a time he imagined what it would be like if they met again. Kissing had been part of that fantasy, but not like this, the kiss would’ve been perfect, romantic, under the stars. Not on a stage where she would assume it was all just an act. Nick wondered what had happened to himself.

 “And if you weren’t an heiress,” Nick chuckled dryly. “And if your father wasn’t after my head.” He rubbed his paw across his neck; he almost went for his cheek again but forced his paw back down.

 “You’re not really scared of my father,” Judy rolled her eyes with a smirk.

“No, but I’m pretty scared of you,” Nick shuddered, the words completely and utterly one hundred percent true.

 Judy walked over and grabbed his paw; he looked down at the bunny who was smiling so sweetly up at him, her eyes dazzling. “Don’t be,” she breathed.

 

.

 

            Judy hurried backstage after _Something to Believe In_ , the zoosies would sing one more song and then they would all come back out for the finale. But all Judy could do was ponder what had just happened up on stage.

 Why hadn’t Nick kissed her? It was part of the play, he had told Mrs. Armadio saving the kiss for the actual performance would make it realistic…So why? Her insides twisted uncomfortably; maybe Nick hadn’t _wanted_ to kiss her.

 Speaking of Mrs. Armadio, the armadillo scurried over to Judy, by the look on her face she was just as exasperated and confused by Nick’s change of heart. “Judy,” she addressed the rabbit. “I don’t know what that was and I don’t have time to ask Nick. But if he doesn’t kiss you during the finale _you_ need to kiss _him_.”

 Judy nodded and realized that may have been the first promise she had ever made that she wasn’t totally sure she could not break. She clutched her handkerchief between her paws and waited for the moment, listening as the audience clapped as _Once and For All_ came to a close.

            A few minutes later Judy walked out onto the stage, the stage’s spot lights making the crowd appear as dark silhouettes. She walked into the middle of the stage, smiling at Fru Fru who had had just as much fun performing, the shrew smiled back from atop Finnick’s head. Judy suspected the fennec fox had more fun than he would let on.

 And then they were speaking the final lines:

 “With the strike settled, I should probably be hittin’ the road,” Nick remarked, his paws in his pockets.

 “I don’t get it,” Finnick said from Nick’s right. “What’s Santa Fur got that New Yak ain’t?”

“Or better yet,” Judy spoke up from his left. “What’s New Yak got that Santa Fur ain’t?”

 “New Yak’s got us,” Percy added, “And we’re family.”

            Judy extended her arm out and pulled Nick’s paw out of his pocket so she could lace their fingers together, she tried to ignore how he stiffened beneath her touch. “And you’ve got one more ace up your sleeve.”

“What would that be?” Nick asked his face unreadable as he looked down at her.

Judy offered a smile, “Me. Wherever you go; I’m there right by your side.”

  Nick’s paw tightened around hers and he pulled his lips up into a small smile, “For sure?”

She nodded, “For sure.”

 “ _Don’t take much to be a dreamer_ ,” Nick sang his voice pleasant and his expression content. “ _All you do is close your eyes. But some made-up world is all you ever see_.” His grip tightened even more and Judy wondered if the fox thought she was going to run away. “ _Now_ _my eyes is finally open and my dreams, they’re average-size_.”

 He turned so his body faced her and he grabbed her other paw wit his free one, “ _But they don’t much matter if you ain’t with me_.”

            Judy didn’t bother to wait; instead she took a breath, pulled her paws out of the fox’s grip, grabbed the collar of Nick’s shirt and pulled his face down, smashing their lips together a little too roughly. Despite the fact both of their lips were firmly shut Judy’s heart still thumped painfully against her ribcage and she kept her eyes shut. Nick was tense against her paws and lips and she was about to pull away when suddenly his paws came up to grasp the back of her head and he opened his mouth against her lips and his tongue slipped in between her teeth.

 Judy’s eyes popped open and she let out a muffled noise of shock as Nick kissed her, running their tongues together and his teeth scraping against her own. This was as far from stage kissing as intercourse was to a paw shake.

            She took note he carried a distinct tang of blueberries before Nick was pulling his lips away and opened his eyes. By the shocked/terrified/mortified expression on his face he had been as unprepared for that _very real_ kiss as she had been.

But then they were being pulled apart by the cast as the final song started to play, Judy realized that kiss had only lasted a few seconds, and she quickly sang along with them, her lips feeling swollen and her heart banging against her ribs.

 

.

 

            “You two were so _great_!” Clawhauser was already backstage and pulling Judy and Fru Fru into a hug, the girls letting out appreciative giggles at their friend’s affection. Fru Fru glanced over the cheetah’s shoulder and smiled when she spotted a familiar polar bear walking in and crawled out of Ben’s grip.

 “Hi, Daddy,” Fru Fru greeted Mr. Big as the polar bear kneeled and allowed the older shrew to walk off his paw. He was carrying a bouquet of flowers which he offered his daughter before receiving a kiss on his cheek.

 Judy was released from Clawhauser’s hug and looked around. She spotted Gazelle and Wade talking, the pop singer smiling and bouncing around while the wolf looked at her with a look that Judy could only describe as tender. Wade lifted a paw, said something to the gazelle, and she beamed widely before giving the wolf a high-paw.

            Judy’s attention trailed away and she spotted Bellwether walking in carrying two bouquets of flowers that towered over her head. The sheep made her way to Leodore and Percy, the lion looking genuinely surprised to see the sheep while Percy smiled at her approach before accepting the bigger bouquet of flowers. Bellwether offered the other to Leodore with less enthusiasm and even from across the room Judy could feel the palpable tension between them. She wondered what had happened.

            “Judy!”

The rabbit turned around just in time to be tackled by her cousins, all of them babbling about how good she did. Her aunt and uncle each gave her a hug, before Uncle Herbert showed off his video camera and announced he had recorded the play so he could send it to Judy’s parents. The kiss flashed across her mind and she felt a sense of dread at the thought of her parents seeing her lock lips with a fox. But at least everyone was assuming the kiss was staged.

 

.

 

            Nick had walked backstage with the sole purpose of hiding in the dressing room and never coming back out.

He had almost reached said door when his mother was there, wrapping her arms around her kit and burying his face into her chest as she nearly smothered the life out of him.

“My baby,” she cooed her voice thick with joyful tears, “You did such a good job! I’m so proud of you!”

 “Mom,” Nick’s voice was muffled against her blouse. “I can’t breathe!”

 Rick walked over with a pleased smile on his face, “Don’t suffocate the star, Mom.”  
 “Right, right, sorry,” Amelia pulled Nick back at arms length and smiled at her son with such a happy expression it almost made up for the fact Nick ruined his first (and he was sure last) kiss with Judy.

He had planned on not kissing her again, the audience weren’t idiots they didn’t need them to kiss to know Jackal and Catherine had fallen in love, but then Judy had smacked their lips together and just like that his resistance had evaporated like morning dew in the sun. He honestly couldn’t remember if it had been a good kiss, he just knew he had been overwhelmed with emotion he had thought he had buried and the usual teenage hormones that ruined _everything_! But if the fact his skin was still on fire was anything to go by it had certainly been one of his more passionate make out sessions. _That happened in front of your mother, your friends, and the entire freaking school. Slick, Wilde…real slick_.

            “We need to celebrate,” Amelia stated, unknowingly breaking her son from his reverie. “Let’s go out to eat, my treat.”

“That sounds good, Mom,” Nick replied and Rick nodded in agreement. “Let me just get out of costume and tell Finnick and Honey bye.”  
 “Oh Finnick!” Amelia gasped and looked around the room, “I need to tell him he did a good job too!” She spotted the fennec fox and hurried toward him. Rick gave Nick a helpless shrug and followed after her.

            Nick leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor. His mother and brother didn’t know what he had done to that poor rabbit, they wouldn’t have been able to keep from mentioning it if they had realized. He closed his eyes and pressed his head against the wall, he had officially messed up. If the stunned expression Judy gave him when he had pulled away from that kiss was anything to go by she was going to avoid him for the rest of her life-though would probably kick his tail first.

 “Nick?”

His eyes popped open to see Judy standing over him, he expected her expression to be angry or upset but instead it was just…concerned.

She crouched down to be at eye level with the fox, “Are you okay?”

 “Not really,” he answered honestly then looked away, “Sorry.”

 “It’s okay,” she said. Those two simple words had him looking back at her with raised brows. “You got caught up in the acting,” she shrugged, “That happens all the time.”

 “Yeah,” Nick said, wilting a bit that Judy didn’t realize that kiss was pure, unchecked, raw emotion. “…But I figured you’d be mad at me.”

 “Maybe if you hadn’t looked like you were going to have a heart attack when you did it,” she giggled softly. “And if you weren’t moping on the floor like a kit whose been sent to the corner.”

 He was still reeling over the fact that he wasn’t going to get his tail kicked by an enraged rabbit when Judy continued, “By the way I think I’ve made my decision.”

“Decision?” he echoed in perplexity.

 Judy offered her paw to him with a sweet smile, “If you still want us to be friends…I accept.”

 “Oh…” he breathed, looking at her paw like it was a foreign object, “…Oh.” He lifted his own paw and laced his fingers with her own. “Friends?” the word came out as a question because he still wasn’t sure this was real.

 “Friends,” she shook his paw before releasing it and standing up. “I need to get going now. See you.”

 “Carrots,” he spoke when the rabbit had started to walk away.

Judy stopped and looked over her shoulder, “Yeah, Nick?”

 “…Nothing, never mind.”

Her brow knit but she shrugged off his change of heart and returned to her family.

  _I’ll tell her,_ he vowed to himself. _I’ll tell her who I am, I’ll show her the scars…But I’m going to wait for the perfect moment. I messed up that first kiss, I won’t mess up that._


	31. Chapter 31

“Aw, come on, Nick. Don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not mad, Dick,” the younger fox muttered in moody tone.

The two brothers were sitting in the school’s library, waiting for the last bell to ring and announce winter break. They had gone to the library for some peace and quiet, Nick slouched in his seat with an irritated look on his snout. 

 “At least,” Nick’s continued, “I’m not mad at you.”

Suddenly the sound of quiet humming had the two brothers looking up from their table to see Judy walking through the library, placing some books back on their shelves. Rick noticed in the corner of his eye how Nick’s ears pricked up in excitement when he saw the bunny.

 “Hey, Judy,” the older brother called.

The bunny looked over her smile and smiled when she saw the two brothers, walking over to stand before their table. “Hey Rick, hey Nick.”

 “Hi, Carrots,” Nick said in an almost shy voice.

 Judy’s head cocked to the side, “What are you two doing over here by yourselves?”

 “Just wanting some quiet before the bell rings and everyone runs down the halls screaming,” Rick joked. “By the way, did you get your score for the finals?”

Judy grinned excitedly, “Yes! I didn’t get any lower than a ninety five! Fru Fru and Ben passed to. Though Ben kinda passed by the skin of his teeth, he’s still happy about it though.”

“Congratulations to all three of you,” Rick smiled, Nick scratched at his nose.

Judy pulled up a chair and sat between the two foxes, “How about you?” she asked Rick.

The fox wore a smug smile that answered Judy’s question. “Nick?” she looked to the younger red fox.

“Eh,” he replied, waving his paw in a so-so fashion. “I passed.”

 Rick gave his brother a disapproving frown, “He didn’t let me tutor him.”

 “Sounds like him,” Judy replied. “But anyway, so when are you heading to that doctor internship thing?”

“Tomorrow,” Rick answered, unable to hide his excitement. But Nick snorted rudely and he and Judy’s attention turned back to him.

“What’s wrong with you?” Judy frowned. “You should be proud of your brother.”

“I am,” Nick replied in the stubborn lilt of a child.

 “He’s just a little upset,” Rick excused him. “He just found out he’s going to be spending winter break alone.”

 Judy’s eyebrows rose, “What do you mean? What’s your mom going to be doing?”

 “She’s going to be spending the break with our grandparents; our grandma’s going to have surgery on his hip.”

“Can’t you go with her?” Judy asked Nick.

He cringed, “Our grandparents aren’t exactly the…most fun of mammals to be around. I might actually prefer to be alone.”

 “No one should be alone on the holidays,” Judy insisted. “What about Finnick and Honey?”

 

“Finnick’s going on a family only trip for some ‘bonding’ whatever that means. And Honey’s dad would skin me alive if I asked to spend the night with him and his daughter.”

 Judy’s ears drooped, she and Nick’s newfound friendship was a timid thing, with the stress of finals having loomed over them since Zoosies so the friendship so far had only consisted of quick smiles and waves as they passed each other in the hallway. Their friends had tried to have a group thing but everyone had either been busy studying or pretending to study.

The point was Judy hadn’t gotten a chance to see how good of friends she and Nick could be, or if she could get over their kiss. It hadn’t been brought up since the night of the performance and she imagined it was better that way-friends didn’t go around kissing friends. So, be it a good idea or not, Judy spoke said idea aloud: “Do you want to stay with me?”

 Both foxes looked at her with open shock and Judy hoped her ears hadn’t flushed red as they tended to do these days. “I mean, I’m heading back to Bunnyburrow for break, my aunt and uncle is going to visit her family so I’ll be heading there by myself.”

 “You think they want a fox they never met in their house?” Nick’s voice was disbelieving and bordering on sarcastic, but there wasn’t any other way he could ask the question.

“It’s not the stone age, Nick,” Judy waved off the fox’s skepticism. “They’ll let you stay once they know you’re my friend.” Whether it would be a welcoming and warm stay the rabbit couldn’t promise. Yes, it wasn’t the stone age but her family back at the burrows wasn’t the biggest fans of foxes, but maybe having Nick over for the holidays would open their minds a bit.

 “I don’t know, Carrots,” Nick still looked doubtful. “Yeah, I’m bummed about being alone for the holidays but I don’t want to just barge into your parents’ home like I own the place.”

 Before Judy could insist that wouldn’t be the case Rick spoke up: “I think you should go.”

 The younger fox cast a dubious look at his brother, “You do?”

He nodded, “Finnick and Honey are great, but it wouldn’t hurt you to make more friends like Judy, maybe you can even be texting pals with some of her siblings. How many do you have?”

 “Two hundred and seventy five,” Judy answered. “And some other relatives are going to be coming over too; it’s going to be a fuller house than usual.”

 “And I’ll be the only fox,” Nick replied, by his tone he didn’t like the sound of that.

 “How about this,” Rick suggested, “It would put Mom’s and my mind at ease knowing Judy’s watching you and you’re not out doing anything stupid.”

 Nick glowered at his brother before his lips slowly turned up into a smirk, “Well, when you put it like that I can hardly make our dear mother suffer that kind of heartache.” His green eyes moved to Judy, “And since Carrots is practically on her paws and knees begging…” he shrugged, “Guess I have no choice.”

 Judy didn’t care to inform him she had not been begging, she had already gotten what she wanted.

 

.

 

            “I don’t like it.”

Nick frowned down at Finnick, having just told him and Honey that he would be spending winter break with Judy and her family.

“Well _I_ do,” Honey gushed, sounding like Fru Fru. “You spending the holiday with _The Rabbit_ , making snow bunnies and snow foxes, and having snowball fights, and drinking hot cocoa, and the mistletoe! _The mistletoe, Nick_!”

 “Thank you, Honey,” Nick nodded to the honey badger. “At least one of you if happy for me, I’ve literally waited years to find The Rabbit again and now she’s invited me to stay at her house.”  
 “You both have forgotten haven’t you,” Finnick shook his head. “The _bet_.”  
 A sense of dread snuffed out Nick’s euphoria, “Oh, yeah.”

“You’re not still trying to win that, are you?” Honey asked worriedly, the words having dampened her spirits as well.

 Nick quickly shook his head, “No, I don’t want to. The thing I was going to tell Duke and the others I forfeit but then remembered that forfeiting a bet is the same as losing a bet so I was like ‘okay, I’ll just pay and accept my failure with pride’ but then I did the math and…” he sent his two friends a pained look. “How much money do you guys have?”  
 Finnick’s fist pressed against his forehead, “Why would you take this bet if you didn’t even have the money, Nick?”

 “Because I was positive I’d win,” he answered.

“And he was drunk on Winnie,” Honey reminded them both.

 Finnick let out an angry sigh, “…You’re going to have to win this bet, aren’t you?”  
 “That or get enough money to pay the others,” Nick said, his expression showing that he was _very aware_ of how big a hole he had dug himself into.

 Finnick shared a look with Honey who shrugged helplessly; she had no ideas on where they could get the money.

 “Alright,” Finnick looked square in the eye. “Here’s what we’re going to do. You forget this bet ever existed, get _The Rabbit_ to fall in love with you as you had fantasized since you were a kit. Then we get the bet money, give it to charity, _and never speak of it again_.”

 

.

 

            “This is the number to the ski resort if my phone can’t reach you,” Charlie handed Winter a slip of paper as the seconds ticked by before it was time to leave the school.

“Oh yeah,” Winter couldn’t help a sarcastic snort, “Because you and me have been chatting nonstop for months now.”

Charlie frowned down at her friend, her eyes guilty. “I’m sorry.”

“Forget about it,” she sighed, then looked down at the paper she had been given. “The Frozen Zone ski resort…no offense but why would a cheetah go to a ski resort in Tundra Town?”

 It was Charlie’s turn to sigh, “My dad’s boss invited his coworkers and their families to Frozen Zone for the holidays. And I guess my dad decided we didn’t have anything better to do?”

 Winter met her eye, “Do you?”

Charlie didn’t answer. “Merry early Christmas, Winter.”

“Merry early Christmas,” Winter waved to the cheetah as she walked off.

            Placing the slip of paper in her pocket Winter headed off down a hall, wasting time for the last few minutes. She on one hand, didn’t plan on doing much for the winter break except relaxing, sleeping in, watching movies, maybe find some friends who weren’t dense when it came to romance and relationships.

As if her thoughts had summoned him Sven appeared around the corner of the hall, nearly toppling into the arctic fox, who jumped back just in time.

 “Oh, sorry, Winter,” the reindeer quickly apologized. “Are you okay?”

 “I’m fine,” she told him just as the bell rang and the silent hallways became alive with the droning of excited students and staff ready to go home and enjoy their time off.

 Winter’s paw shot out and she grabbed Sven’s arm, “Walk out with me.”

The reindeer looked ready to pull away from her grip but looked to remember how he had been avoiding her and just nodded, letting her lead him down the hall that was becoming crowded with their classmates.

 “So what are your plans?” she asked him. Christmas had always been Sven’s favorite holiday, always decorating his house and everything he owned for the holiday, always ready with winter activities and treats.

 The reindeer gave her an apologetic look, “Nothing this time I’m afraid.”

Winter’s ears drooped. Was he really that depressed?

 “Me and my family aren’t going to be home during break,” Sven informed her.

“Where are you going to be?”

 “We’re going to spending the holiday at the Frozen Zone ski resort in Tundra Town. You know, that’s a pretty intimidating name for a resort.”

 Winter didn’t say anything.

 

.

 

            Wade was driving home, his heart picking up speed as recent events played over and over in his head.

Gazelle had invited him to her winter tour.

He looked at her with shock, thinking it was an early April Fool’s joke. Taking his shocked silence as a no she had gone on about how she had already bought his ticket and really wanted them to spend their first winter break as friends together, that and she would need her bodyguard considering she might actually need protection out of the city. Wade had recalled mumbling an okay and they decided she’d pick him up in front of his aunt’s store at six tomorrow.

 But all Wade could really focus on was the fact that he would be spending his holiday _away_ from his parents, for the first time in his life. Yes, he wouldn’t be able to see his sisters but he was sure they’d forgive him if he brought them back autographed Gazelle souvenirs.

 “I’m going to be spending my entire winter break with Gazelle,” Wade muttered to himself as he drove down the road. He glanced at his side view mirror and saw that his lips were turned up.

 


	32. Chapter 32

The Zootopia Express was incredibly crowded, forcing Judy to practically sit on Nick’s lap as they sat between a bull and an elephant.

Two duffle bags rested at their feet, packed with cloths and whatever else they thought they would need in Bunnyburrow.

            Nick was scrolling through his phone, his mother and brother having both just texted him that they had reached their own destination (and both ordered him to be on his best behavior with Judy’s family).

Judy was staring ahead, her eyes far away. Nick wondered if she was figuring out what she would tell her family when they got there.

“You did tell them I’m coming, right?” he asked her.

“Hm? I told them I was bringing a friend home.”

“But did you tell them I’m a fox?”

Judy looked at him from the corner of her eye, “No, I didn’t. I don’t think it matters, a friend is a friend.”  
 Nick wanted to tell her that was a sweet thing to say, but he also wanted to tell her that old habits die hard. Even if had been eons since foxes and rabbits were natural enemies and he still got weird looks from some city bunnies he passed on the street. And now he would be going to an old country town that probably had maybe one or two predators, if he was lucky.

 He let a breath of air exhale from his parted lips before turning his eyes back to his phone, but Judy’s eyes stayed on him.

 “Is something on my face?” he asked a few moments later, unable to ignore her stare.

“No,” she said. “Just thinking.”

 His head filled with all the possibilities. What _did_ she think about him?     

  “I’m trying to figure out where you’ll be sleeping,” she answered without him asking a question.

His brow furrowed, “I’d figure a house full or rabbits would have a lot of room.”  
 “It does,” she answered. “And they’re all full of rabbits. Plus, with even more relatives coming over everyone’s probably going to have to share rooms.”

Nick imagined about twenty bunnies piled up onto a small bed and snickered. Judy gave him a humorous scowl, “Don’t laugh. I mean, I love my family but that doesn’t mean I _like_ all of them.”

 “I know how that feels,” Nick answered. He loved his grandparents but he certainly didn’t like them. His grandfather was so old-fashioned he bordered on ancient, he imagined he’d have a heart attack if he found out Nick had a crush on a rabbit. And his grandmother was a little too rough, she always brought tears to Nick’s eyes when she pinched his cheeks, her too long claws scratching him when she hugged him, and she always ordered him around like she was royalty which rubbed Nick the wrong way. That and they had absolutely no filter, proof of that was that they had no qualms with bringing up Nick’s father. He felt a twinge of worry for his mother, Amelia’s parents loved her and had been sympathetic when her husband had left her, but Nick remembered one time overhearing them talking and stating that it had partly been her fault, that she hadn’t been a good enough wife. That was the last time Nick had visited him.

            “Are you okay?” Judy’s voice broke him from his mildly depressing thoughts.

“Yeah,” he quickly assured her. “In fact I just came up with an idea so you don’t have to share your room with any of your family.”

Judy’s ears perked with interest, “Oh?”

 “You and I can share your room, eating at the same table with a fox is one thing but _sleeping_ in the same room as a fox? I’ll even bare my teeth and growl once in a while.” Nick did just that, showing off his teeth and a growl rumbled from his throat, making the bull give them a weird look.

 Nick had meant the idea as a joke but Judy looked to be thinking it over. “That might work,” she said, then taking note of Nick’s expression she smirked, “Don’t have a heart attack, I’d do almost anything not to have to share a room with my sister Harley.”

            Just then a voice droned through the train, announcing they had arrived at Bunnyburrow. Judy’s face broke into a smile as she jumped off her seat and grabbed her duffle bag, “Come on, let’s go!” Nick quickly grabbed his own bag and hurried after her.

 He stepped out onto the train station and felt a blast of cold air smack into him, he wrapped his arms around himself, glad he was still wearing his jacket, and hurried after Judy who walked into the awaiting crowd. A majority of the crowd were, of course, bunnies, either hopping up onto the Express or there to greet visiting friends and families. Nick’s fur bristled as he felt tons of eyes on him; he kept to Judy’s side as she walked through the group. She was completely at home of course, recognizing a few rabbits in the crowd and calling a cheerful hello, her breath misting in the winter air. Nick looked around for any predators, spotting an otter and a couple of weasels but nothing as big as a fox. He tried not to let out an unhappy sigh, he should be glad Judy had invited him to spend winter break with her instead of inviting Fru Fru or Clawhauser. This was the perfect chance to get to know her better; he could find the perfect way to tell her who he was.

 Suddenly Judy stopped in her tracks, Nick almost stumbled over her. The rabbit was looking ahead of them, her eyes shining before she cried out: “Nanna!”

She rushed ahead to a elderly rabbit a few feet away, her fur was a light dusty brown and she had age lines around her mouth and eyes. But she held herself with a straight back and easily accepted the enthusiastic hug Judy gave her.

 “Heya, Bun Bun,” the rabbit, Nanna, returned her granddaughter’s hug as Nick walked over. “It looks like you’ve grown at least an entire foot.”

 Judy smiled up at her as she was released, “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too,” Nanna replied then looked over Judy’s head to see Nick, her eyes widened in surprise. Nick’s head hunched between his shoulders, waiting for the old rabbit to show her fear or distrust.

 “Who’s this?” she asked Judy, her eyes not leaving Nick.

“Oh,” Judy turned around and smiled up at the fox. “This is my friend I said I was bringing. His name is Nick.”

 “Hi,” Nick breathed shyly.

Nanna smiled then, an endearing and understanding smile that threw him off guard. She stepped forward, her ears pricked, “You’ll have to speak up, darling. I may be a rabbit but I’m also old.”  
 “H-Hi,” Nick said, unable to hide his surprise from his expression.

 She laughed then, a raspy noise that came deep from her belly. “Look at this boy, Judy. He thought I was going to run away screaming!”

 Nick glanced over at Judy who was smiling at him with smug amusement.

“Trust me, sweetheart,” Nanna continued, “I’m the last rabbit in the tri-burrows who would run away from the sight of a predator.”  
 “Oh?” Nick couldn’t think of anything else to say.

 “Nanna had a lot of predator friends when she was growing up,” Judy told him.

The older rabbit let out a wistful sigh, “Some of my best memories were with those crazy kids.”  
 “You had a fox friend?” Nick asked, cocking his head to the side.

 “Sadly no, there were no foxes at my school or around town.” She walked over to Nick and interlocked her arm with the fox’s, surprising him further.

“But if I did have a fox friend I hoped they’d be as handsome as you,” Nanna winked up at him then laughed at Nick’s face. “Let’s get you to home.”  
            She led the two to a rusty blue truck, Judy taking the passenger seat while Nick took the back along with the luggage.

“Well, I’m glad at least one of my granddaughters isn’t scared to make friends with someone who isn’t a rabbit,” Nanna stated as she headed away from the station and down the dirt road, turning the heater on full blast. “How’d you two meet?”

  _I saved her_ , Nick thought to himself as Judy told her grandmother about when she had met him at his locker where he was selling illegal sodas. Nick questioned Judy’s openness with her grandmother but the elderly bunny only laughed and he decided Judy could tell her almost anything and he would be judged by her.

            Nick mainly stayed quiet while Nanna got Judy up to date with the dramas going on with the Hopps family, apparently there was a lot, either someone lied, or took that, or refused to do their chores, apparently two sisters got into an fight because they both had a crush on the same boy. It honestly kind of sounded exhausting and Nick didn’t blame Judy for wanting to move to Zootopia.

“So, uh,” Nick spoke up. “Mrs. Hopps?”

“You can call Judy’s mother Mrs. Hopps, you call me Nanna,” the elderly rabbit ordered him.

“Nanna,” Nick corrected himself. “Is the rest of your family as cool as you?”  
 The bunny snorted in amusement at the fox’s compliment. “They won’t chase you away with torches and pitchforks. But no, none of them are as ‘cool’ as me.”

 “Imagine that,” Nick said, his eyes turning to Judy.

She noticed his look, “Stop worrying, Nick! They aren’t going to skin you.”

The fox leaned back against the seat, “Good thing I only came for your sake. No offense, Nanna.”

 “None taken, dearie,” she replied, glancing from the corner of her eye at her granddaughter who was looking over the seat at the fox. Her expression exasperated but fond. She may have been old but her memory was fantastic and she never remembered Judy showing much interest in boys and this was the first time she had ever brought one to her home.

            “Here we are,” she said a few minutes later as the Hopps house came into view. Nick leaned forward between the two seats and was surprised to see said house was surprisingly small, it was one story, covered in a sunny tan color with a blue shingle roof and wrapped around porch and there were dozens of young rabbits running around the yard, making snow bunnies.

 “It’s…smaller than I thought it’d be,” Nick admitted, imagining that behind that front door were swarms of rabbits all pressed up together with no room to move or breath.

 “It’s bigger on the inside,” Nanna said with a mischievous glint in her brown eyes. Nick wanted to question her further but Judy was already jumping out of the truck, forgetting her duffle bag and running toward the house.

 Nick stayed inside the vehicle as the front door open and a swarm of rabbits rushed out to meet her. She was first hugged by two vaguely familiar bunnies; Nick realized it was her parents that he had seen on her phone months ago during their first case.

 Other rabbits, some looking to be Judy’s age hurried to greet her away, sharing hugs and kisses on the cheeks.

            “They’re going to be awhile,” Nanna told Nick from where she still sat in the driver seat; she turned around and smiled up at him, “Can you keep a secret?”

“I’m an expert,” Nick replied.

“I think my granddaughter likes you.”

 Nick’s ears flared red and he quickly glanced away, trying to hold back the giddy smile the words instantly brought on to him. He really, _really_ wanted Judy to like him but he doubted it would be that easy-after all; she had hardly given him the time of day when he first started flirting with her.

 Nanna chuckled delightfully, “And I see you like her.”

Nick’s eyes widened, “W-what? Of course not! She’s a-she’s a bunny.”

Her chuckling only continued, “I don’t blame you, darling, Judy’s a wonderful bunny. I expected her to catch a few hearts while she was away in Zootopia.”

 “Please don’t tell her,” Nick begged, his lies weren’t going to work on Nanna.

“Why not? I already told you I think she likes you too.”  
 “Yeah but…” Nick trailed off awkwardly. “I want to tell her myself.”  
 “Wanting isn’t the same as doing,” she pointed out.

“I will,” he promised her. “Just don’t say anything, and I’ll tell her before the break is over.”  
  “…I’ll hold you to it,” she finally decided before climbing out of the truck. “Come on then.”

Nick grabbed his and Judy’s bags and followed her out of the vehicle. “You’re probably tired,” she stated, once again linking her arms with Nick’s. “How about I sneak you inside so you can get some reset? I know the perfect room for you too.”  
 “Who will I have to share it with?” Nick asked as they walked by Judy’s mob who didn’t even notice them. Nick could only make out the tips of his classmate’s ears in the furry mass.

            He was led through the front door that opened into a large living room area where rabbits were sprawled out onto the living room, all eyes on a TV that was playing an old holiday special. A few adults were hogging the couch and they were the ones that noticed Nick once he stepped through the threshold. He tried not to cringe as their eyes widened in shock and fright.

 “Nanna?” one of them began warily.

 “I caught myself a handsome fox,” she stated proudly with a lift of her chin. Her words got the attention of the rest of the living room and it was suddenly filled with whispers and slacked jaws.

One of the adults hurried over but stopped a few feet before she could get to close to Nick, “Nanna you can’t just bring in…strangers, to the house.”

“Especially when they’re _foxes_!”

 Those words had been spat by a male rabbit as old as Nanna, but he was standing with the help of a walker, he as more wrinkly too and his fur was dark gray. Nick swallowed when he saw the intense dislike in the rabbit’s eyes.

 But Nanna was looking at the rabbit with equal loathing, “Hush up, Pop Pop. This is Judy’s friend, Nick, and he’s going to be spending the holidays with us.” She turned her eyes to the watching crowd. “And we’re all going to be nice to him, _aren’t we_?”

 Murmuring of “yes ma’am” and “if you say so, Nanna” rippled through the crowd and then Nick was being dragged across the living room to a…elevator door?

Nick furrowed his brow and looked around the room, counting four more elevator doors. Nanna opened the door and pulled Nick inside, closing the door behind her and examining a serious of numbered buttons beside the door.

 “Uh… Why do you have an elevator?” he asked, “It’s not like there’s any floors down below.”

 “That’s what _you_ think,” Nanna tittered, pressing the button that was marked eight. “Why do you think this place is called Bunnyburrow?”

 With a creak and a whirl Nick felt the elevator descending, a cheery little tune playing as they went.

 “So…” Nick began. “Is there like tunnels and tunnels under this house?”

“Tunnels, living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and everything in between,” Nanna said proudly, “Rabbits have houses big enough to rival giraffes and elephants.”

            There was a ding and the elevator door slid open, revealing a large tunnel that split off into hallways and doors, it was like walking into an underground hotel.

 Nick followed Nanna down the hall, passing a few rabbits as they went, a few offered Nick polite but confused smiles that made the fox little more at ease. They took a few turns, Nick spotting a couple of maps hanging from the walls that showed what was where in the burrow, he had a feeling he’d be relying a lot on those maps.

Finally Nanna stopped at a door at the end of a hallway and opened it, inside three small steps led down to the carpeted eggshell blue floor. Nick passed Nanna and walked down into the bedroom, ahead of him was a violet bed relatively large for a bunny and covered in numerous stuffed rabbits all in different colors and wearing different outfits. To his left was a small closet and a book shelf full of books and DVDs (most of them mysteries and romances), and to his right was a writing desk and on the wall above it were dozens and dozens of photos taped to the wall.

 “Whose room is this?” he asked.

“Judy’s,” Nanna answered.

 Nick whirled around and looked at the rabbit with a disbelieving expression.

 “You’re our guest,” she explained, “And the only one of my family I _know_ will treat you kindly is Judy. I’d invite you to share my room but it’s already full with some of my grandbabies, it’d be too crowded for a mammal your size.”

 Nick looked around the room that was actually bigger than his own bedroom back at home. “Judy did agree that she wouldn’t have to share if I bunked with her.”

 “Come here, honey,” Nanna urged him back to her side. Nick obeyed and the rabbit suddenly shot her arm out at an alarming speed and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, pulling him down to be at eyelevel with her. “Don’t misunderstand me, boy,” she said sternly. “You can share a room with my granddaughter but there will absolutely be _no_ hanky panky while you’re here, understand?”  
 “Yes, ma’am,” he replied immediately, his ears folded against his skull.

Nanna nodded, satisfied, and released him. “Good boy, I’ll send Judy here so she can help you unpack then you both need to take a nap. You can meet the rest of the family in the morning.”

            She wished the fox a good evening and closed the door behind her. Left to his own devices Nick placed the duffle bags down and headed over to the desk and the array of pictures. It was of Judy, surrounded by certain members of her family, the pictures taken in random places he assumed were parts of Bunnyburrow. A few took his focus, Judy as a newborn, looking read to cry as her mother held her and smiled at the camera. Judy, now three, sitting in a mud puddle with a pair of twins, all wearing smug little grins that only toddlers could pull off. He found a picture of her in a yellow sun dress, surrounded by a couple of her other siblings dressed in fancy clothes and all looking more serious than eight years old should look. It took Nick a second to figure out why the picture had caught his attention and then realize this was a photo before she went to that Carrot Formal she had told him about. And then he found a photo of fifteen year old Judy, she looked like she was getting ready for school, some books under arm and a breakfast muffin in her free paw. He had never seen Judy with her fur mussed and eyes glazed with drowsiness while she got ready in the mornings; it showed a kind of vulnerability he enjoyed seeing. That and she had his handkerchief wrapped around her neck; his paw went to his cheek yet again.

            Something poked into the small of his back and he let out a yelp before turning around to see Judy behind him, laughing at him. “Did I scare you while you were snooping?”

 “I was not snooping,” Nick defended himself, glancing over at her pictures. “The pictures are right there for everyone to see.”

 She walked up beside him and studied the photos, “Oh, I hate that one.” She pointed to an image of her looking to be five and crying at the camera. “My brother, Fred, took that picture after my ear got stung by a bee!”

 Nick winced in sympathy, “Why do you keep it if you don’t like it?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged, “I just like having all pictures of me in one place, it’s easier to keep track of instead of hunting through so many photo albums for just one picture.”

 “I imagine you guys have a mini library for just photo albums,” Nick joked.

“We do,” Judy replied before turning around and heading to her duffle bag to unpack. “Thanks for getting my bag by the way.”  
 “No problem,” he shrugged, watching her take her clothes out and placing them in her closet. “I’m surprised you managed to get away from your fan club.”  
 Judy chuckled, “It was thanks to Nanna, she told everyone I needed to rest and had all winter break to spend time with me.”

 “I think Nanna’s in love with me.”

“She must be,” Judy replied. “She told me she already told you to stay in my room.”

 “That reminds me,” Nick looked over at the closed door, worried a random relative would suddenly storm in. “Do your parents know you’re going to be keeping a fox in your bedroom?”

 “They know you’re staying in some room in the burrow,” she told him. “They don’t need to know which one, plus considering how many rooms that are in here I doubt anyone’s going to come snooping in here.”

 “If you say so,” he shrugged before he suddenly broke into a yawn. Fatigue was starting to finally weigh on his bones that had been a cramped and long trip on the Zootopia Express.

 Judy took note of his yawn and walked into her closet, walking out carrying a pile of blankets. Nick watched as she spread the blankets across the floor next to her bed and then taking one of the pillows off the bed and placing it on the pallet, making it look presentable.

            “I’ll sleep here,” she stated, standing up and placing her paws on her hips.

Nick looked at her, “Where am I going to sleep?”

She pointed to her bed.

“No,” he snapped, stepping forward and sitting down on the pallet. “I’m not sleeping on your bed and making you sleep on the floor, Carrots.”

“But you’re my guest,” Judy argued, sitting down on the pallet as well, crossing her legs.

“It’s your bed,” Nick argued.

 “You’re my _guest_.”

“It’s _your_ bed.”  
  “Then let’s just share the bed if it’s so great.”

“…Fine.”

 


	33. Chapter 33

Wade had never been on a plane before, let alone first class. But there he was, Gazelle sitting on his left while on his right was the window that showed off the large run way. Across from him and Gazelle sat two of her tiger dancers, Raja (who he was told was Gazelle’s childhood friend) and Vitaly, one of the larger tigers who rarely spoke but when he deep his voice was incredibly deep and it nearly shook Wade’s bones. Across the aisle sat the other two dancers, Kan and Tigger (Wade refused to believe that was on the tiger’s birth certificate but everyone called him by that name) who were playing a card game.

 “You’re not scared of flying, are you?” Gazelle asked the wolf whose eyes had turned to the window outside as the plane’s engine rumbled to life.

“Don’t know,” he replied, his eyes glued to the window, “Guess we’re going to find out.”

 The run way below started to blur as the plane moved and picked up speed, and then Wade’s stomach dropped as they soared into the air, his paw reached out to grab the armrest but grabbed Gazelle’s hoof instead.

 The two started at the sudden contact, Wade’s head turned around to meet Gazelle’s surprised expression before he quickly lifted his paw off her. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she chuckled, her voice a little breathless. Neither noticed the knowing look Raja and Vitaly shared. “I got a little spooked when I first rode a plane too.”

 He smiled apologetically before turning his eyes back to the window and his jaw dropped. They were already miles and miles above ground, Zootopia and the large expanses of forests and fields spreading out as far as the eye could see, a blue line indicating the ocean far away. It was huge, it was infinite, and it was beautiful.

 “Wow,” he breathed, he was unable to hold back a thrilled chuckle. His paws splayed across the glass as he mussed his face up against the window, wanting to take it all in, “This is _amazing_!”

 Gazelle smiled at him before glancing at the tigers, Vitaly and Kan were watching the wolf with amusement while Tigger was studying his cards with a sour expression. Raja had his eyes on Gazelle, his smirk knowing and the prey felt her skin flush and she quickly turned her attention back to Wade who was still enthralled by the view outside. She noticed how the wolf’s green eyes were shining and his lips pulled back into a wide grin and she wished she could take a picture of the moment.

 

.

 

            Hours later, despite Wade’s excitement he had fallen asleep, his head resting against the window and snoring softly, outside the thousands of stars that dotted the sky reflected on the ocean below.

 Most of the other passengers had fallen asleep as well with the exception of Gazelle and Vitaly, the latter immersed in a book he had brought along with him. Gazelle was leaning back against her seat, listening to the snoring of her friends as she wished she had her iPaw on her.

 A relatively loud snore rattled Wade’s body and Gazelle’s eyes turned to him. She hoped he would have fun with her, even if she would have to spend a lot of her time performing, she wanted to make some time to spend specifically with him. She couldn’t help but feel it had been a long time since he had a good holiday. Her gaze traveled from the wolf to the back pack at his feet, she took note of an old-fashioned MMP.

Finding herself unable to resist Gazelle reached her arm out and picked up the mammal music player that had a pair of headphones attached to it. As she turned the device on she couldn’t help but wonder what kind of music Wade listened to (he had only told her that he didn’t like _her_ music), she imagined something loud where the singers screamed most of their lyrics. When the list of songs came up she didn’t recognize not one of them, they were titled with a single word “Moon”, “Running”, even “Love”. Shrugging Gazelle placed the headphones in her ears, leaned back, closed her eyes, and hit play.

            The sound that came to her eardrums was not what she had expected at all. It was…howling. Wolves howling, yet not like she sometimes heard them do in the city, a long low drone, these wolves changed pitched when they howled and she could detect emotions in the howling like sadness and even joy. They were using the howls to sing.

Gazelle let out a soft sigh, finding the music melodic and soothing. She could imagine Wade listening to this music while he hid in his red hoodie; she imagined the music was his only solace…

 She had listened to five different songs, and despite all of it being howls they were all so different and unique she could recognize each of them without having to look up the title, but when the sixth song started her eyes opened in shock. It was one of her songs. She looked at the screen to make sure; sure enough there was the title.

 Her eyes looked back to Wade’s sleeping form. She didn’t know if he had lied about not liking her music back at the Halloween party, maybe he had decided to listen to it afterward. But she couldn’t help but wonder, and hope, that Wade found solace in her voice.


	34. Chapter 34

Charlie was relieved when they walked into the Frozen Zone ski resort, the warm air a blessing after the bitter wind of Tundra Town. While her parents dusted off the snow from their jackets and scarves and headed to the check in desk she looked around the lodge.

It was incredibly large, an old chandelier hanging from the ceiling and she could make out three floors above her. The lodge was made of freshly polished dark wood, and before her was a large area of couches and rocking chairs atop a long impressively designed rug and crowded before a giant, roaring fireplace.

Before the fireplace was a group of animals, one of them Charlie recognized as her father’s boss, a cheetah named Mr. Fuli. He spotted her father and headed toward them just as her parents finished checking in.

            “Joey, good to see you,” Mr. Fuli shook her father’s paw with a friendly smile. “Glad you and your family could make it.”  
 “Thank you for inviting us, sir,” Joey replied, his arm wrapped around his wife.

Mr. Fuli’s eyes turned to Charlie who offered a polite smile, “It’s good to see you, Charlotte. Feels like just yesterday you’re father brought you into work as a newborn cub.”

 She shrugged, “Well, I grew up.”  
 “You did,” Mr. Fuli turned his attention back to his employee, “How old is she now?”

“Sixteen,” her mother answered while Charlie resisted a pout. Her parents did have a knack for talking over her head even when after she had told them she didn’t appreciate it.

 “Same age as my son,” Mr. Fuli noted with a smile before looking over his shoulder. “Tanner, come here!”

 Charlie’s jaw nearly dropped. He wasn’t about to do what she thought he was going to do. But sure enough a cheetah her age walked over to stand by Mr. Fuli, he was almost identical to his father, his paws clasped behind his back as he wore an expensive looking button down shirt and trousers, his expression making her classify him as a snooty rich boy.

 “Yes, Father?” Tanner asked of Mr. Fuli, his voice sophisticated.

Mr. Fuli indicated to Charlie, “This is Spotwood’s daughter, Charlotte. Maybe you two could spend some time together since you’re the only teenagers here.”  
 Tanner looked to Charlie and even though his eyes never left hers she couldn’t help but feel she he had given her a once over. He smiled politely and offered his paw, “Please to meet you, Charlotte.”

She glanced at her parents who gave her subtle nods before forcing herself to shake his paw, “Nice to meet you two.”  
            “Well, we’ll leave you two alone,” her mother said as soon as Charlie’s paw dropped to her side, and then the adults were walking to the crowd of other employees.

 Tanner watched his father go before turning back to Charlie with a reassuring smile, “Sorry, my father can’t help trying to set me up with every female cheetah my age.”  
She shrugged, “My parents are exactly the same.”

They stood in awkward silence for a few moments before Tanner’s phone rang and the cheetah checked the screen. “Oh, I need to take this. Can you give me a moment? Then we can go get some cocoa or something.”

“That’s fine,” she said but Tanner was already walking off.

            Charlie sighed and shoved her paws in her pockets. She wanted to tell herself that being forced to hang out with Tanner was a good thing. They could find fields of interest and bond over the winter break; they could start dating, fall in love, get married and have cubs. It would make her parents happy. It would make society happy. And it would be the easiest thing to do. So why did she hate the idea? Why did it sound so hard to do?

 Music suddenly floated into her ears, it was notes played by piano keys. Curious she followed the pleasant sound across the room to an open doorway. Stepping inside she saw it was like a little café. A polar bear stood behind a bar where hot cocoa and sweets could be ordered, there were tables decorated in red and blue checkered table clothes. She looked around the room and spotted the piano. Her breath caught in her throat.

 Sven Jingle was playing the piano. Why- _why_ was Sven Jingle here?!

            He hadn’t noticed her, his attention on the piano as he played the song effortlessly. His parents sat at a table not far from him, sipping from their mugs and casting fond smiles at their son.

Charlie made to slowly back out but ended up knocking into a chair, catching Mrs. Jingle’s attention. The reindeer smiled and Charlie had was reminded how she had always gotten predator snacks for the cheetah when she came over to play.

 “Charlie!” she gasped. Sven’s hooves banging down onto the piano keys before looking over his shoulder, his face turning into an expression of horror when he spotted her and then his mother was standing up to rush over to the cheetah.

 “I haven’t seen you in months!” she gushed before wrapping Charlie into a hug, she smelled like snow and hot chocolate and the combination brought bittersweet nostalgia to the cheetah’s heart as she returned the embrace. “I missed you.”

 “I missed you too, Mrs. Jingle,” Charlie replied before walking out of the reindeer’s hug. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

 “We definitely didn’t expect you, Spot,” Mr. Jingle said as he walked over to stand by his wife, rubbing Charlie’s head with a hoof. The cheetah couldn’t help a small chuckle; Sven’s dad had always called her Spot and always messed up her and his son’s fur and here he was doing it again. Which meant Sven hadn’t told his parents what had happened between them, what she had said, but glancing past them and seeing Sven’s expression she knew he remembered it perfectly.

 Mrs. Jingle turned toward her son, “What are you doing, Sven? Come say hi to Charlie.”  
Sven cringed and looked torn as to what to say.

“Actually, Mrs. Jingle,” Charlie spoke up. “I need to get back to my parents, they’re probably wondering where I-”

 “There you are, Charlotte.”

Tanner walked into the room and Charlie wished a hole would appear so she could jump in. He smiled at her, only glancing at the reindeer, “I was wondering where you run off to.”  
 “I…uh…” Charlie began, being careful not to look toward Sven while his parents politely returned to their seats. “I was looking for something to drink.”  
 Tanner glanced over to the bar, “Looks like you found it. Want some hot chocolate? My treat.”

 “Sure,” she replied. “Thank you.”

She followed the cheetah to the bar, once they had reached the polar bear Charlie couldn’t stop herself from glancing toward the piano. Sven wasn’t there, she turned to the doorway just in time to see him walking out.

 


	35. Chapter 35

Leodore and his parents passed the threshold of Grandpa Leon’s mansion and were immediately greeted by a loud and boisterous voice.

“There’s my brand new favorite nephew!”

 A lion, younger than Leodore’s father but older than himself waltzed over to the three with a big grin, it was his uncle Alex who happened to star in many Boarway productions. Leo bit back a yelp as his uncle pulled him into an unexpected hug, ruffling his mane as he did so. “Lucy told me you performed in your school play. Newsies wasn’t it? A perfect starter for an up and coming actor.”

 Leodore’s father let out an angry huff, “Stop it, Alex. No son of mine is going to waste time being overdramatic in front of a group of strangers.”

Leodore tried to not flinch at his father’s anger but his uncle was perturbed in the slightest. Alex released his nephew and placed a paw over his heart in mock pain, “ _Overdramatic_? Adda really! I act so well mammals don’t even know that I’m acting because by the time I say my first line they are already _living_ the play!”

 Adda rolled his eyes while his wife giggled slightly, Alex grinned at her, “See! Christine gets it!”

 “Just move so we can go unpack,” Leodore’s father growled before pushing past his brother in law and heading up the stairs, suitcases in both paws, Leodore followed, carrying his own luggage while his mother went directly to the kitchen. Leodore’s mother was a housewife and the kitchen was always her favorite part of the house, even if it wasn’t their own house they were in.

            Leodore would be having his own room; it was slightly smaller than the others. A bed just big enough for him pressed against the wall on his left, only a few feet to the right was a desk also pressed against the wall and across from where he stood was the window, looking out at his grandfather’s property which were acres of trees, under the window was a comfy little couch for afternoon reading.

 Leodore placed his luggage down and released a heavy sigh; he didn’t want to be here. He didn’t want to be anywhere near here. He was suppose to go downstairs immediately and greet the rest of his family who would brag about their lives and his father who would as always try to shove his ambitions down Leodore’s throat. They may be his family but they didn’t understand him.

 Not like Dawn did.

  _And you officially lost her forever_ , Leodore reminded himself bitterly. Why did he have to be such a coward? Why couldn’t he have just told Lucy how important that sheep and that silly little rabbit were to him? She would’ve told their father and he would’ve been disappointed. _Why_ did that matter so much to Leodore? Especially when he was disappointing his father every single day by not being a lawyer…

            “I thought I smelled distress.”  
Leodore turned around to see Lucy leaning against his doorframe, a smirk pulling her lips up.

The presence of his half sister did nothing to brighten his mood which was why he gave her a sour smile, “I thought I smelled a tramp.”

Lucy threw her head back and laughed loudly, “Well,” she said when she collected herself. “You aren’t _wrong_.” She pushed herself off the door frame and put her paws in her pockets, leaning the upper half of her body into the room, “What got you into a hissy fit?”

 “Like I’d ever tell you,” he replied, stepping past her and closing the door behind him. Lucy followed him as he walked down the hall.

 “Aw, what’s wrong?” she asked. “Won’t tell your sister your deep dark secrets? What do you think I’ll do, tell Dad?”

 “What are you even doing here?” Leodore demanded as he kept walking ahead of her. “Your mother didn’t want to spend the holidays with you?”  
 He felt Lucy’s mood darken, “She is going on a _romantic getaway_ with Stripes.”

“That’s his name?”

 “I don’t care what his name is he’s a zebra and has stripes.”

 Lucy had never been fond of her mother’s boyfriend, like most of Leodore’s side of the family she didn’t care for interspecies relationships.

 “But speaking of crimes against nature,” Lucy threw her arms over Leodore’s shoulders, making him stop. “How’s little Miss Bo Peep?”

 Leodore felt his shoulders tense, “Probably spending time with her own family.” He tried to walk away but Lucy kept her grip on him and ended up being dragged behind him.

“I didn’t ask _what_ she’s doing I asked _how_ she’s doing,” Lucy replied.

“I wouldn’t know,” Leodore replied, his voice coming out gruffer than he intended. He could practically feel Lucy’s interest pique but before she could say something a blinding flash had him stopping, blinking his eyes.

 “Sibling affection,” a new voice spoke up. “Great camera fodder.”

“Aunt Sarafina,” Leodore groaned as he saw who stood before him. His father’s sister was a photojournalist who always had her phone in paw, ready to take a picture as she did now.

 The lioness grinned at the two, “Come on, one more?”

Lucy wrapped her arms around Leodore’s neck, nearly strangling him as she grinned at the camera, Leodore scowled at his sister as the camera flashed.

“Perfect,” Sarafina purred. “An accurate photo of two siblings.”

She turned around and headed down the stairs; Lucy finally released her brother’s neck and followed after. Leodore rubbed at his throat, glaring daggers at his sister’s back before forcing himself down the stairs after her.

 

.

 

            Leodore had made it halfway through dinner before he had to talk. The Lionheart family was a large one and all of them were incredibly talkative, except, ironically enough, his uncle Samson who was a clergy.

Leodore had been content to simply listen to how productive his family was and how respectable their jobs were, arresting criminals, putting out fires, performing dangerous surgeries. And of course, how many clients his father had successfully defended, he always said it in a bragging tone as if to convince his son how great being a lawyer was. But when Alex commented: “We can’t all be bloodsuckers, Adda.” Leodore couldn’t agree more.

            And then Grandfather Leon, at the head of the table, spoke: “How have you been, Leodore? You haven’t said one word through the entire meal.”

The younger lion stopped fiddling with his food and glanced up to see the entire table staring at him. “I’m doing fine, Grandpa,” he murmured, turning his attention back to his plate.

 “I’d say more than fine,” Alex pointed out, gazing at Leodore with pride. “My little nephew growing up and performing on stage, I’m crying a little.”  
 “I think it was just a one time thing, Uncle Alex,” Leodore muttered, not wanting to get his uncle’s hopes up.

 “Yes, it was,” Adda growled and Leodore felt himself sink farther into his seat. “You’re going to have a respectful career and that career will be in court.” His words had the rest of the table voicing their opinions on that, mainly to state that their occupation was just as credible.

 His Aunt Sarabi, a firefighter and sitting on Leodore’s left leaning toward him. “What do _you_ want, Leodore?” she asked quietly so his father couldn’t hear.

  _I want to go home and apologize to the only real friend I ever had_ , Leodore thought miserably. _I want to go back and get the one animal who wouldn’t pressure me to do something I didn’t want to do_. But instead of that he said, “I want to go to bed.”

 He dismissed himself while his father and cousin Kimba (a police officer) were in a heated argument. He didn’t notice until he was climbing up the stairs that Lucy had followed after him.

 “She dumped you, didn’t she?”

Leodore glanced over his shoulder at her and scowled, “What?”

Lucy skipped up the steps to his side, “Little Miss Bo Peep got bored of you. How ironic since you _claimed_ you were getting bored of her.”

 “That’s what basically happened,” Leodore admitted to her as he continued up the stairs and toward his room. “She realized she deserved better.”


	36. Chapter 36

Rick felt like a kit on his birthday. He practically skipped off the bus that dropped him in front of the Manehattan General Hospital, already adorned in his internship scrubs. He had put the eggshell blue outfit on back at the motel room he would be staying at over the break.

 He straightened the name tag pined over his heart before hurrying through the front doors. Inside he was greeted by the scent on antiseptic and many, many, animals. He looked at the crowd that walked around the large lobby, either working at the hospital, visiting a patient, or was a patient. He noticed a small gift shop not far from the receptionist desk and looking up he saw floors and floors of rooms full of animals that were either sick, injured, or having a baby.

Rick knew not many mammals liked the hospital and of course he understood why. To many the hospital was the last place you wanted to be but for Nick he felt it was a place for hope and a sanctuary. When you were sick or hurt or expecting the hospital was the place they went, the place they relied on. Rick wanted to be relied on, he wanted to be a hero, and there were moments in his life that he couldn’t control the bad things that happened. And he was downright fascinated and almost obsessed to learn how to stop bad things from happening to animals.

            “Did your feet get stuck?” an annoyed feminine voice broke Rick from his thoughts.

He turned around to see a female pig in the same scrubs as his own, holding two trays of Stagbucks coffee. Rick hadn’t even realized he was blocking the door.

“Sorry,” he quickly said, jumping to the right so the pig could continue walking. He followed after her, “Are you an intern too?”

 “I’m not wearing these scrubs because they make my hips look small,” she replied not looking at him as she headed to the receptionist desk.

 Rick chuckled slightly then picked up his pace, walking at her side so he could look at her name tag. “Nice to meet you May Swinton.”  
She looked up at him then, the well-brushed tuft of silver blond hair atop her head sweeped across her violet eyes, she glanced at his chest, “And nice to meet you…Richard Wilde.”

 “You can call me, Rick,” he offered with a smile.

“No, I don’t think I will,” she replied before stopping before the receptionist desk and placing the trays down. “Good morning, Mrs. Goat.”

 The chair behind the desk slowly whirled around to show a very old goat, smacking her gums as she peered at the two younger mammals from behind her glasses. Rick looked for a name tag or something similar because he didn’t believe her name was actually Mrs. Goat but he couldn’t spot anything.

 “Hello, Molly,” Mrs. Goat greeted May.

The pig smiled patiently at her. “Is Dr. Doug Moore in? I brought everyone’s coffee.”

The elderly goat nodded and lifted a shaky hoof toward an elevator, “Up on the third floor.”

“Thank you,” May said then looked at Rick. “Said you’re an intern?”

“Yes,” he replied.

 The pig shoved one of the trays into his paws. “Then make yourself useful, carry this and follow me.” She picked up the other tray and headed toward the elevator, Rick glanced at the old goat before hurrying after her, slipping inside the elevator with her as it started to rise up.

 “So who is the coffee for?” Rick asked, looking at the different names labeled on each cup.

 “The doctors and nurses who asked for it,” she replied, “They texted me what they wanted this morning.”

He looked at her, his brow furrowed, “How did they have your number?”

 “Oh my God,” she let out an exasperated sigh, “I’ve been an intern here for months, and part of the intern’s job is to get coffee for the doctors and nurses.”

“You’ve been an intern for months already?” Rick suddenly felt more like a newbie than earlier. “You didn’t have school?”

“I’m home schooled,” May answered, “I’ve been interning here for almost a year now.”

Rick swallowed and looked back at the coffee in his paws, “I’m only here for winter break.”

 “Bummer,” she said her voice unsympathetic.

            The elevator stopped on the second floor and then two antelope like mammals crowded in next to them, they also wore scrubs similar to Rick’s and May smiled coolly up at them as the elevator door closed. “Hey Bucky, hey Prong.”

“Hey, May,” the one called Bucky greeted.

 Prong narrowed his eyes at Rick who took a step away from the three. “Who’s that?”

“Apparently we got a new intern,” May answered, glancing over at the fox. “His name is Ryan or something.”

 “Rick,” he corrected her.

Bucky and Prong shared a look before turning back to the fox, “So what?” Bucky asked. “You’re training to be a doctor?”

 “Yes,” he answered and the three mammals let out a round of chuckles. Rick’s ears folded back in defense, “What’s so wrong with that?”

 “Nothing’s _wrong_ with that,” Prong said. “It’s just…a fox has never been a doctor.”  
 “I know,” he replied. “I’m just going to be the first.”

May looked at him from the edge of her vision, “You have to have patients to be a doctor.”

 “So?”

“So…” Bucky spoke up, “I don’t think many mammals are going to trust a fox to stitch them up or delivery their kid.”  
 Rick scowled at the three but before he could reply the elevator doors opened onto the third floor and they marched out, Rick followed them with a glower. Bucky and Prong gave May an adieu before they headed off down a hall, starting an argument that got heated the farther they walked away.

 Rick followed May to a desk where a couple of nurses and doctors were loitering before their shifts started. They greeted May with friendly hellos and smiles before taking the coffees she offered.

 “A new intern is here,” the pig nodded to Rick who pulled his lips up in an awkward smile.

 “Ah yeah, I was wondering when you’d show up,” a ram walked over to Rick and took one of the coffees he held, Rick checked his name tag and saw it was Dr. Doug Moore.

            “Pleased to meet you all,” Rick greeted the group, standing up straight and trying to look as mature and professional as possible. “I’m here to help and learn everything I can.”

 He got numerous reactions from that, a few, May included, rolled their eyes, some smiled in either amusement or kindness, and Doug just gave him a bored look as he sipped his drink. “Sure, whatever,” the ram replied before holding up a clipboard that he held in his other hoof. “You can help carry around some equipment or something. May, show him the ropes.”

 The ram walked off down the hall, leaving Rick to stare after him in disbelief while the other doctors and nurses went off to do their own jobs. The fox looked to May who was looking at the screen on her phone, texting someone.  
 “Uh…” he finally spoke after a few moments of silence. “May?”

“What?” she asked, keeping her eyes on her phone.

 “Dr. Moore said you’re supposed to show me the ropes?” the words ended up as a question and Rick couldn’t help but feeling like a helpless, unwanted kit.

 May placed her phone in her pocket, “Let’s get it over with then.”

She headed down the hall and Rick followed after her. “So what medical field are you going to specialize in?” he tried for small talk.

 “There’s no need for us to get to know each other,” May said as they passed doors and bathrooms, “You won’t be here for long.”  
 Rick’s lip curled, “Excuse me?”

She looked over her shoulder at him and smirked arrogantly, “These mammals will eat you alive.”

 “You, Bucky and Prong seem to be doing just fine,” Rick pointed out, holding back a snarl. He didn’t know why this pig had such a bad attitude but he was getting really tired of it.

 “Bucky and Prong are more ferocious than most predators I know,” May told him. “And I’ve been working on being a doctor since I could walk. And we’re not foxes.”

 “You can’t seriously be that small minded,” Rick snapped as he kept pace with her.

“I’m not,” May said. “I’m just realistic and know what society thinks of you, Foxy.”

 “Heh, you’re going to wanna refrain from calling me Foxy,” he growled.

“My bad with that smile you gave me earlier I just assumed you were used to getting what you want by using your looks. So I figured you’d be used to words like Foxy.”

 “Uh, no,” Rick replied with a sarcastic lilt. “I didn’t get here by my good looks I got here because I’m one of the smartest mammals in my school.” He usually didn’t brag about his intelligence but obviously this pig was going to bring out the worst in him.

 “Okay,” she rolled her eyes, the one word coming out in a mocking laugh. “Tell me if this is familiar: book smart little kit thinks ‘Hey look at me I’m super smart and I’m a dreamer I could totally becoming anything I wanted’. Only to find out-” she turned around to walk backward, placing her hooves on her cheeks, “Uh-oh, you need more than your big brain to make it out in the real world. You need connections and you need to know how the world is. Realizing this, the little kit has no choice but to settle on something more his level.” May looked him up and down before turning around to face the hallway, “I’m thinking janitor.”

 Rick scowled at her back as they passed the maternity ward, May giving him the lay about of said ward. “Guess what Miss Piggy,” he finally spoke up, his voice coming out as a growl.

 The pig stopped her tour and looked up at him with an amused smirk, “What, Foxy?”

“You don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do.”

 “I’ll well aware of that,” she replied. “I was only trying to give you some friendly advice.”

 He snorted, “Friendly advice?”

 “Yes, and you’re welcome,” she turned on her heel and started to go on her way. “Now let’s get this silly tour over with.”

 “I don’t need your ‘advice’,” Rick told her, not budging.

“Then let me give you my opinion,” May turned to look over her shoulder at him, her hooves clasped behind her back. Her expression was calm and detached, “You’ll never be a doctor.” She shrugged and smirked, “You’d be an attractive CNA though. So hey, you hang in there.”


	37. Chapter 37

Judy’s internal clock had been set to the crack of dawn since she was five and it hadn’t changed during her time in Zootopia. So as the sun was peaking over the hills of Bunnyburrow, even though her room had no windows to tell her, Judy felt her senses awaken.

 She let out a yawn and stretched, right paw smacking against something. She blinked blurry eyes open and looked to said right. Nick was sleeping by her side, his back to her. She smirked at the snoozing fox and sat up, stretching her back out as she studied him, he was holding two of her stuffed rabbits to his chest, his lips slightly parted as he slept.

 Judy was glad the fox had managed to get some sleep, she was positive he wouldn’t have gotten any shut eye at all last night.

            She had claimed the edge of the bed as her own since she was sure she’d be getting up before him. She had changed into her pajamas in the closet, coming out to see Nick sitting on the bed and holding one of her stubbed rabbits, examining the tux it wore.

 “You know,” he said. “We’d have more room on this already tiny bed if you moved these mountains of toy rabbits.”

 “Wash your mouth out with soap,” she scolded lightly, taking the rabbit the fox held and straightened his ears. “Sir Herbert and all the others have lived on this bed since I was five; they deserve to sleep on it more than we do.”  
 Nick chuckled softly, shaking his head at the rabbit as she placed Sir Herbert back with his friends. Judy then let out a yawn, covering it with a paw, “Could you go ahead and lie down? I’m about to fall asleep on my feet.”

 “Oh…right,” Nick glanced behind him at the bed. “Lie down…”

“You okay?” she asked then smirked, “You didn’t have any problems sharing the bed when it was _yours_.”

 Nick chuckled again but it sounded slightly hysterical, “Yeah…yeah I did.” He crawled onto the bed as far as he could without moving the stuffed bunnies and crawled under the blanket. He stared up at the ceiling, his body completely rigid, “There.”

 Judy huffed in amusement and climbed into the bed next to him, covering herself with the blanket, her paw touched Nick’s arm as she made herself comfortable and the fox flinched.

 Judy sent him a weird look before rolling onto her side so her back faced him, “Good night, Nick.”

“N-night, Carrots,” he murmured. Judy had drifted off to sleep, completely aware of how tensed Nick’s muscles were.

            But it looked like some time in the night he had managed to fall asleep, Judy could admit to herself it was kind of cute how nervous he was about sharing a bed with her. She slipped out of the bed and walking into her closet to change, when she had changed into comfy T shirt and jeans she walked out to see Nick still asleep. Judy decided to let him sleep in and headed out of her room, ready to make her way to the kitchen and help her mother, aunts, and sisters cook breakfast.

 

.

 

            The tune of a thrash metal band had Nick jolting awake. He looked around the room he was in, not recognizing where he was until he noticed he had a pair of toy rabbits in his arm.

“Oh, that’s right…” he trailed off and looked around the room again. Judy wasn’t here. He crawled out of the bed, yawning and scratching the back of his head as he looked through his duffle bag until he found his phone. He answered it without looking at the caller ID, he knew who it was by the ring tone.

 “What is it, Finnick?” he groused.

“Well, good morning to you to best friend of five years,” Finnick replied sarcastically.

“Has it only been five years?” Nick asked, sitting down on Judy’s bed as he let himself slowly wake up. “I feel like I’ve known you since you were the size of a mouse.”

“You know I’d make a sarcastic comment but my mother has shown me the ultra sounds,” Finnick let out the most depressing of sighs, “I _was_ that small once.”

“I really like your mom,” Nick said randomly. “I’m not even going to make that about us, she’s just a sweetheart.”

 “Anyway to answer your question I called to ask how the first day of Bunnyburrow is going.”

Nick shrugged even though Finnick couldn’t see him. “I’ve really only met Judy’s nanna, and she loves me so… that’s great.”

“Good for you,” Finnick replied. “Where are you now?”

 Nick looked down at the bed, “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me.”

“…I’m in Judy’s bed.”

 He felt a spewing sound followed by coughing and Nick realized Finnick had been drinking something. He bit his lip to keep from laughing.

“Are you serious!?” the fennec fox gasped once he caught his breath. “You’ve been gone for a _day_!”

 “Not like _that_ , Fin!” Nick felt his ears heat. “We just slept!”

 “And she trusted you to keep your paws to yourself?” Finnick asked, “She might already be in love with you, Nick.”  
 The red fox rolled his eyes, “Look I’m going to go, I have a burrow full of rabbits to meet. I’ll call you later.”

“You do that, I’m going to give Honey a ring,” Finnick said in a teasing voice. “She’s going to love this development.”

 Nick hung up the phone and threw it back into his bag before looking around for some clothes to wear; he had a bathroom to find. Finding the shirt and jeans he wanted to wear Nick left the room and took three steps forward before realizing he had absolutely no idea where anything would be.

 “Just gotta find a bunny or a map,” he told himself as he continued onward, picking a random tunnel and keeping his eyes and ears open. He broke into a grin as he spotted a map and hurried to it.

 “The tunnels have _numbers_?” he moaned, trying to figure out which one he was in, tracing a claw across the map.

 Muttering had his ears twitching and he looked to his right to see a couple of bunnies further up the tunnel, they were three of them, a pair of eight year olds looked to be twins and a five year old, the two girls looked at him with wide eyes while the male didn’t look that impressed at the sight of the fox.

Nick smiled at them, hoping it looked reassuring and lifted his paw, “Hi.”

 The two girls squeaked and turned to run away, the eight year old having to come back to drag her twin brother away with her. Both Nick’s paw and his smile dropped.

            “You’ll have to excuse the little ones, they’ve lived on fairy tales were the foxes are the bad guys.”  
 Nick turned around to see a bunny Judy’s age; she had gray like Judy’s but her eyes were brown and her ears shorter. She was wearing a top that showed off her mid-riff and shorts, in other words not winter clothing. But what set Nick on edge was her flirty smile and batting eye lashes.

“It’s okay,” he assured, wanting to get away from this rabbit but not wanting to be rude to a relative of Judy’s. He offered his paw, “I’m Nick.”

“Harley Hopps,” she greeted, slipping her paw into his and giving a shake. Nick quickly pulled his paw away. “So you must be the friend Judy invited.”

“That’s me,” he offered with a small smile.

“She didn’t tell me you were a fox,” she said, taking a few steps closer and looking him up and down and Nick felt like he was getting undressed by her eyes.

He took a few steps back, “According to her it didn’t matter what species I am.”

“I have to say I agree with my sister,” Harley replied, placing her paws on her hips. “And _that_ is a Christmas miracle.”

“Heh, you two look the same age.”

“We are we’re part of the same litter.” She stepped forward and ran her paw over Nick’s arm. He was reminded of Sue and his stomach roiled in disgust but he kept his snout shut. “But I know plenty about my sister; I’d like to know more about you.”

 “I’m looking for a bathroom,” he told her. “You know where one is?”

“I know where plenty are,” Harley said, finally stepping away. “We have communal bathrooms since there’s so many of us.”

“I want the least populated,” Nick said.

Harley nodded and headed down the hallway, “Then right this way, darling.”

Nick rolled his eyes behind her back and followed, at least he was no longer lost. After he took a shower and made himself presentable he could go find Judy.

            Harley led him to a completely empty bathroom but Nick could see why, it was pretty small for a communal bathroom and he saw the corners of the room were starting to gather mold. He looked to Harley.

The bunny shrugged, smirking at his expression, “This is literally the only bathroom not used, so unless you want to go shower with my brothers or _me_ …”

Nick shut the door behind him.

            About twenty minutes later (he didn’t relax and dawdle in the bathroom like he usually did) he stepped out in new clothes, his fur slightly damp from the water and his sleep wrinkled clothes in his paws. He nearly jumped in surprise when he saw Harley leaning against the wall, she had stayed to wait for him.

She flirtingly smiled at him and Nick cringed, he needed to get back to Judy’s room to leave his clothes but he didn’t want Harley to know that was where he was sleeping. He imagined the rabbit would try to convince him her room was so much better.

Harley looked at the clothes in his paws, “Follow me.” She dashed down the hall and Nick considering disobeying the order but reluctantly decided against it. He really didn’t need to get lost in these tunnels and Harley was the only rabbit around to be his tour guide. He followed her to a series of laundry shoots across a wall, he took note that under each laundry shoot was a name, and she had stopped next to a laundry shoot with her own name. “Throw your clothes in there, they’ll get washed.”

Nick looked at the laundry shoot doubtfully and she giggled, “Whoever’s on laundry duty will bring my clothes to my room and I’ll be sure to return your clothes to you. Or you can come and fetch them yourself.”

Nick looked longingly at the shoot that had Judy’s name but didn’t want Harley needling him with questions so with great reluctance letting his clothes fall down the laundry shoot.

            Harley clapped her hands together and smiled cheerfully, “Now that that’s over how about we get to breakfast.” She linked her arm with Nick’s and leading him down the hallway. “Is Judy there?” he asked.

Harley glanced at him then shrugged, “Who knows.”

 They walked into a tunnel that was larger than the others and some feet up he saw two set of hallways, railing keeping rabbits from falling from the two floors. He saw a pair of male twins that were Judy and Harley’s age (he figured they were also part of the same litter) their fur light brown with their muzzles and ears a darker shade, chatting animatedly about something. When they spotted Nick and Harley there eyes widened in interest before they split into identical grins.

 “Look at this, George,” one of them said, eyeing the two. “Harley’s caught another poor chap in her web.”

 “So it would appear, Fred,” the other agreed. “But I didn’t imagine it would be a fox.”

 Surprising Nick the two crawled over the railing and jumped, both landing effortlessly on their feet before the two. Nick’s eyebrows rose, impressed.

Harley let out an aggravated noise, “What do _you_ two want?”

 “Sorry, sis,” Fred smirked at her. “But this is the first time a fox has ever been in the burrow and we’re not going to let you hog him to yourself.” He gently but firmly pushed Harley away from Nick and the twins caged him on either side, Nick already liked them.

 “So,” George began as they continued to walk, Harley trailing after them with a sour pout. “Nanna said you’re Nick.”

“I am,” he answered.

 “What are your intentions toward our sister?” Fred asked.

Nick frowned at the rabbit, “I just met her.”

“What? Oh no, we’re not talking about Harley. She gets a boyfriend every other day.”

“I do not!” she snapped from behind them.

“Sorry, every other hour. But no, we’re talking about Judy.”

“You are the first boy she’s ever brought home to the family,” George informed him, “So we’re naturally _very_ curious as to what’s your deal.”

 “My deal?” Nick echoed.

“What do you plan to do with her?”

 “Well…” Nick looked up, pretending to be deep in thought. He then looked down at the twins and bared his teeth in a feral grin and flashed his claws, “Actually, I _was_ planning to devour her flesh and then bury her bones out in the snow.”

There was a moment of silence and Nick thought his joke had failed utterly but then the pair of twins burst into loud laughter, making the fox smile proudly.

“I like you, fox,” Fred patted Nick on the bed. “Jude the Dude’s got good taste in guy friends!”

 The four continued walking when George spoke up, “I was so sure you were that junior ranger scout.”

Nick nearly tripped over his own feet, “Junior ranger scout?”

“Yeah, one time she went to Zootopia with dad and got bullied by some chubby fox,” Fred explained, “But then a _really cute_ fox came out of nowhere and saved her.”

“And our sister got her first hero,” George clasped his paws together, ears pressed back against his head and big eyes looking up at the ceiling. “For months on end that scout was the only thing she ever talked about.”

Nick felt his ears turn hot, “Huh…”

A door before them suddenly opened and out walked a gray bunny who looked alike with Harley but not identical like Fred and George.

“Hey, Gwen,” George greeted.

The bunny looked up, offering her brothers a tentative smile before she saw Nick. Her eyes bugled and she let out a shriek before dashing down the tunnel and disappearing. Nick blinked, staring after her.

“That’s Gwen,” Fred explained, pointing to where she had vanished. “She’s not exactly the biggest fan of predators.”

“I could tell,” Nick replied.

“Don’t let it get to you,” Harley told him, stepping over to touch Nick’s arm again, the fox resisted a sigh. “She’s scared of her own shadow.”

            Finally the smell of food had Nick’s nose twitching and his stomach growled. They stepped out of the hallway and to a railed balcony and a set of stairs, down below he could see a series of large round tables all covered in rabbit based breakfasts, most of the tables already crowded with rabbits of all ages. One large doorway led into the kitchen and Nick couldn’t help breaking into a smile when he saw his classmate walking out carrying a plate of pancakes in her paws.

 “Judy!” he yelled out, startling the twins and Harley. A few rabbits that were closer to the stairs heard him and gave the fox weird/frightened looks.

Judy looked up and smiled once she spotted him, Nick felt his heart skip a beat. But then Judy saw who he was standing with and her expression quickly changed into one of terror.

            Nick followed the twins and Harley down the stairs and Judy hurried over to meet them halfway, still carrying the plate of pancakes. “What are you three doing?” she demanded of her siblings, scowling at them.

Harley rolled her eyes while Fred and George let out offended gasps. “What makes you think we’d do _anything_ Jude the Dude?” George demanded.

“Because you’re Fred, George, and Harley,” Judy growled, “All you three do is stir up chaos and drama.”

“Oh, don’t get your ears in a knot, Judy,” Harley shooed her sister’s words away. “We’re just being nice to your fox friend,” she leaned against Nick and the fox curled his lip at her while Judy shot her sister poison tipped daggers.

  Fred and George stepped up and both wrapped their arms around Judy’s shoulders, nuzzling against the top of her head. “Oh, Judy, you’re so cute when you get mad,” Fred cooed.

“Makes me want to pinch your cheeks,” George said then proceeded to do just that. Judy tried to nip at his arm.

            Another rabbit appeared then, she had the same color scheme as the twins, “Let her go, boys. You bother her like that and she’ll stop visiting all together.”

Fred and George obeyed and Judy sent the other rabbit a grateful smile, “Thanks, Amy.”

Amy smiled fondly at Judy before her eyes turned to Nick, she offered a polite smile but the fox couldn’t help but think she was studying him. “You must be Nick, Judy’s told me a lot about you.”

His classmate’s ears blushed and Nick offered a smile, “I can only imagine what she said.”

 “All good things,” Amy said, but Nick had a feeling she knew there were plenty of bad things Judy hid from her. Nonetheless she offered Nick a paw shake which she accepted, “Welcome to the burrow, I hope you enjoy your stay.”

 She turned to Harley and the twins with a firm look, her paws resting on her hips, “Since you three were too ‘busy’ to help cook breakfast you can help set the tables.” She sent them on their way before giving Judy a tender pat on the shoulder before following after.

 Judy looked up at Nick in concern, “They didn’t bother you did they?”

“I like Fred and George,” he reassured her. “Harley on the other paw…”

Judy let out an exhausted and unsurprised groan, “Ignore her, she’s a _huge_ flirt.”

“Amy seems…nice.”  
Judy smiled fondly, “She’s the best. Sorry if it felt like she was trying to see into your soul or something, she’s pretty protective and I’ve never brought a friend home before.”

“So I’ve been told,” he smiled, remembering what Fred and George had said about the junior ranger scout.

 “But yeah we were a litter together,” she explained. “Me, Amy, Fred and George, Harley, and my sister Gwen.”

“I met Gwen,” he said, glancing up the stairs. “Or rather, she saw me and ran away screaming.”

Judy flinched, “I’m sorry…”  
 “Don’t worry about,” he waved a paw. “I came here for you, not your sister.”

Judy smiled bashfully down at the plate of pancakes before her eyes widened, “Oh, these are for you.” She offered him the plate and shrugged helplessly, “It’s blueberry pancakes.”

Nick’s looked at her with surprise then glanced at the plate, “You made me pancakes?”

“You’re my guest,” Judy replied. “And you _did_ say anything is good as long as its blueberry flavored.”

“And I believe it wholeheartedly,” he replied, taking the plate from her and smiled warmly. “Thanks, Carrots.”

She waved off his gratitude, “Don’t mention it.”

 

.

 

            Breakfast was _amazing_. Putting up with Harley’s never ending flirting and frightened and distrustful glares was actually worth it for Judy’s homemade blueberry pancakes. Just the thought of the bunny cooking for him made his heart warm.

After breakfast Judy finally introduced Nick to her parents. They had recognized him from that one call months ago and Stu once again thought he was her boyfriend. But this time when Judy said no, they were just friends, it made his stomach twist but he only smiled politely and said all the right polite words. Nanna had barged into the introduction and told Stu and Bonnie that Nick was a very nice fox, the two seemed to be slightly assured by the older rabbit’s words.

 “Nanna is my dad’s mom,” Judy had whispered to Nick when said elderly bunny started fussing with Stu’s ears as if he was a toddler.

            “Well now that the formalities are done,” Stu looked to his daughter, “Judy could you go help your brothers shovel the driveway.”  
 “Of course, Dad,” she said, looking happy to assist her family.  
 “I’ll help too,” Nick offered, pleasantly surprising the bunnies.

 Minutes later Judy and Nick were wrapped in winter jackets and scarves and were out in the snow covered front yard, helping Fred and George shovel thick snow away from the driveway. Or at least, Nick was _trying_ help, sticking the shovel into the snow but unable to lift it back up, the mounds of white flakes too heavy for the city fox to lift. But he still tried, grabbing the wooden handle with both paws and struggling to pull up, his arms shaking, his paws suddenly slipped off the slick wood and he fell onto his tail in the cold snow. He heard Fred and George laugh while Judy shushed them.

 “Are you okay, Nick?” she asked and then the three rabbits were standing over him, the twins smirking while Judy looked concerned.

He flashed her a reassuring smile before lifting a paw for a thumbs up. Fred and George returned the thumbs up and Judy let out a breath of relief, her breath fogging before her muzzle.

 “Come here, Blueberries,” Fred offered a paw to the fox and he was helped to his feet.

“Blueberries?” he and Judy echoed in unison.

 “Jude the Dude told us you love blueberries,” George explained. “And since you call her Carrots we think Blueberries is an appropriate _nick_ name.”

“I like it,” Judy stated and Nick smiled bashfully. His classmate turned to look at Nick’s shovel that was still sticking out of the snow. “But I guess you’ve never shoveled snow before, huh Nick?”

 “No,” Nick admitted as the four walked over to study the shovel. “Since Zootopia has climate control and shoveling snow in Tundra Town kinda defeats purpose…”

Judy spoke, “Well maybe we can-” her words were cut off as a snowballs suddenly smacked into her face, startling Nick and her brothers. They all turned in stunned silence to see a few young bunnies across the yard, building snow forts and looking ready to start a snow ball war.

 “Sorry, Judy!” the culprit who had thrown the sphere of snow, the little bunny Nick had seen earlier who had worn a bored expression, called out. “I was aiming for Fred.”

 Judy smirked and wiped the splattered snow off her face, “Well now you have to worry about me!”

 She bent down and hastily made a snowball before rushing toward her younger brother who laughed and quickly raced to the fort, when the other bunnies saw Judy was coming to join the fight they squealed in delighted excitement.

            George nudged Nick in the ribs, “You can go play with her we got this.”

He looked down at the twins, “You sure?”

“No offense, buddy,” Fred laughed. “But you weren’t exactly being super helpful.”

 Nick looked back to Judy who had thrown her snowball only to have it miss her brother, laughing she looked over her shoulder to see Nick watching her. She smirked, “Come and get me, _Blueberries_!”

Nick grinned, “You asked for it, Bun Bun!”

 He lunged toward her with a playful snarl and Judy dashed across the snow, the younger bunnies watching with wide eyes as the fox chased their sister around. Judy suddenly dropped into the snow and Nick stumbled to a halt, nearly slipping onto his tail yet again.

The bunnies let out a shocked gasps and Nick stepped toward Judy, “You okay, Car-?”

 Judy suddenly leapt up, a brand new snowball in paw and shoved it into Nick’s snout, half of it ending up in his mouth.

 Judy jumped back with a triumphant crow while Nick coughed and spit out the snow, he bared his snow crusted fangs at her, “I am going to turn you into a bunny pawpsicle!” Judy made to run again but this time Nick jumped, crashing into her and making them fall and roll in the snow. Nick used his greater weight to hold the struggling rabbit down as he grabbed a pawful of snow and let it fall down the back of her shirt, Judy let out a laughing screech as the cold flakes trailed down her fur.

 Judy struggled and managed to turn onto her back, tossing more snow into Nick’s face. The two laughing loudly as they continued to smother snow into each other’s fur, not minding the cold or the bunnies who were watching with wide eyed interest.

            “Judy,” one of them finally called out. She and Nick looked over to the little rabbits; snow clumped into their messy fur Nick’s torso sprawled across Judy’s body.

 “Can you and Mr. Blueberries have a snowball war with us?”

“I want Mr. Blueberries on our team!” one rabbit from the other fort called out.

 Judy smiled up at Nick’s surprised expression, “We’d love to.”

 


	38. Chapter 38

Despite spending so much time with Gazelle it never fully hit Wade that she was an incredibly popular celebrity. To him she was always just a popular girl in school, and lately she was the star of his daydreams not that he’d ever admit that to her.

But now, sitting in a small room backstage while Gazelle and the tigers performed in front of a cheering crowd, the third one that day, it was starting to hit him how _exhausting_ being a celebrity can be. Since they had arrived in this city, Evergreen City, Gazelle had been led to one place to another, putting on expensive clothes, make up, her mother who also worked as her agent, telling her about all the different places they would be going before the end of the break and all the famous animals they would meet. It all went completely over Wade’s head but Gazelle handled it all calmly with a small smile as they drove to her first concert without her even getting a chance to stretch her legs from the plane ride. Wade, not even getting a glance from her mother or the make up team was ushered to wait in comfy little lounge room full of leather chairs and a bar where one could make a snack or a drink. The wolf had been spending all his time in these rooms, only getting a moment with Gazelle as she came in for a momentary break. And after the concert she’d be sent off to celebrity interviews and autograph signings, it was during these times that Wade was left with Raja and the others.

            The tigers had warmed up to him, started conversations with him that he awkwardly tried to keep. Vitaly told him about how his family was circus performers and that he had spent his first few years of life traveling the world before they decided to retire and raise him in Zootopia. Kan came from a long line of professional boxers and even offered to show Wade a few moves he could use whilst body guarding, the wolf had politely rejected the offer.  Raja had been told by his parents that there were descended from Aroarabian royalty but he didn’t really believe they had been telling him the truth. Meanwhile Tigger had lived an average life in an average part of Zootopia, the mediocrity of it all had apparently driven the tiger near mad and he had desperately wanted to do something out of the norm. So he became a dancer.

And as Wade listened to the tigers’ stories, laughed at their jokes and denied whenever they brought up his feelings toward Gazelle (which was often) he had started to feel a budding warmth toward the four felines, it was different from how he felt toward Gazelle but it was no less unpleasant. It took him three days to realize he was becoming their friend, and before Gazelle had swaggered along he hadn’t had any friends. He was shy, and scary, and didn’t want anyone to know about his parents. But Gazelle wasn’t thrown off by his bashfulness, she was as frightened of him as she was a leaf…and he felt like she would understand about his parents, but he was scared. But not of her, not anymore, now he was scared he was going to lose her.

            When the third concert was coming to a close Wade was led out to the limo that waited for Gazelle. He made himself comfortable in the impressive car, still having a hard time believing he was here, and waited.

A few minutes later Gazelle, her mother, and the tigers appeared. The singer’s mother kissed her daughter on the cheek, told her she did fantastic and sat up front with the driver.

Gazelle let out a tired sigh as she sprawled across the seat she shared with Wade. Raja and the others sitting across from them, either pulling out books, iPaws, or simply nodding off, Wade glanced at Gazelle who looked to be struggling to keep her eyes open. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “You’ve just been dragged around and we haven’t had any time to spend together.”

“It’s okay,” he assured her. “You look exhausted.”

She laughed breathlessly, “You got to be made of nails to be a pop sensation. Speaking of nails it feels like I drove a few into my calves.” She sat up and brought her knees to her chest, rubbing her hooves across one of her ankles.

Wade watched her a moment before forcing himself to speak, “I could help.”

 She looked up at him, “With what?”

Before he could lose courage Wade took the ankle she wasn’t massaging between his paws, letting his thumbs run circles against her calf. Gazelle had tensed when he had touched her but he felt her muscles relax underneath his paws after a few seconds.

“Oh,” she breathed, staring at his paws. “With that.”

 He tried to laugh but it came out strained and awkward, “It’s the least I could do, what with the free first class plane ride and letting me sip champagne and eat caviar while you and the guys danced around on stage.”

She giggled, “You should watch one of the concerts before the break is over. I think you’d like it.”

“Maybe I will,” he said, keeping his eyes on her ankle as his fingers pressed against her skin, not being able to ignore how soft and well groomed her fur was. “Is this fine? I’m not hurting your ankle am I?”

 “It feels great,” she sighed, resting her chin on her knees and smiling at him, “Thank you.”

 He glanced at her before looking back at his paws, feeling a smile pull up his lips, his heartbeat picking up.

Gazelle let out a yawn and lay back down on the seat, “Are you okay if I close my eyes for a bit?”

“Go ahead,” Wade told her; moving his paws to her other calf. A minute later he glanced up at Gazelle, her eyes were closed and her chest was rising slowly with each breath as she peacefully slept.

 

.

 

            When you’re stuck backstage while your crush is out singing her heart out, greeting the fans, and coming back more and more exhausted, you start to get some crazy ideas. And Wade thought of an absolutely mad one, but he wanted to cheer Gazelle up and he knew this would work; it just might make him expire from mortification as well.

 “You want us to what?” Raja looked up from his phone; he and the other tigers looked up at the wolf in open shock.

 They were in the lobby of the current hotel they were staying at, Gazelle having left with her mother to have lunch with some celebrity Wade had never heard of. It left him with the four tigers relaxing in said lobby when the wolf came up to them with his idea.

Wade took a breath and repeated his words, “I want you to teach me how to dance.”

 “Okay, so we _did_ hear you right,” Tigger spoke. “Now _why_ do you want to dance?”  
 “I think it would cheer Gazelle up,” Wade explained. “She’s been having to work nonstop since we got here; she deserves something to laugh at.”  
 “And you dancing will definitely do that,” Vitaly smirked.

“Exactly,” the wolf agreed.

 Raja and Tigger shared amused looks and Wade narrowed his eyes at them. “What?”

“We didn’t say anything,” Raja held his paws up in mock surrender. He had been around the wolf so long now that Wade’s occasional snarls and growls didn’t make him uneasy like they used to. He was seeing the wolf as Gazelle saw him.

 “But that look was _screaming_ something,” Wade pointed out.

Tigger chuckled, “It’s just…yeah dancing would cheer up Gazelle up, but not as much as a kiss would.”  
 The wolf’s eyes bulged and he felt his skin turn hot, “I’m not-that isn’t- _where_ did that come from!?”  
 Now all four tigers were laughing and Wade had to use all his willpower not to throw his hood over his face like he always did when he was flustered or upset or angry. “Alright boys, let’s stop teasing the wolf,” Vitaly finally said, he stood up and clapped a large paw on Wade’s shoulder, nearly knocking the wolf down. “I don’t think you’re ready for our level of dancing, but some ballroom dancing is a good start.”

 

.

 

            Hours later Gazelle returned, tired, from the lunch and drinks she and her mother had shared with some acquaintances. Her mother was just as tired and quickly bid her daughter goodnight before heading up the stairs of the hotel to her room. Gazelle decided to check on her friends before doing the same, she walked into the lobby and saw Wade standing in the middle of the empty room, his paws folded behind his back and smiling bashfully.

 Gazelle’s brow furrowed at the wolf then to the four tigers sitting on a couch, Raja holding a trumpet. “What’s going on…?” she couldn’t keep the wariness out of her voice.

“Wade here decided to try and cheer you up since winter break has been so tiring on you,” Tigger explained.

 Gazelle smirked at the wolf and walked forward to stand before him, “What’s that?”

Wade’s green eyes gleamed with something akin to pride, “I learned how to dance.”  
”You’ve learned a few ballroom steps let’s not get crazy,” Vitaly informed him.

 “And since you’re feet still hurt you are more than welcome to stand on mine,” Wade offered jokingly.

Gazelle giggled, “To see _you_ dance, I’ll work through the pain. But think you can manage it, newbie?” She gave him a confident smile, “I’m a pretty good dancer.”

Wade smirked, his expression the cockiest she had ever seen on him. All of a sudden he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her flush against him, the gazelle letting out an _oomph!_ of surprise. He used his other free paw to hold her hoof and flashed his white teeth at her. “I think I can handle it,” his voice came out as a haughty and teasing growl that had shivers running down Gazelle’s spine.

            Raja started a smooth, lazy tune on the trumpet as Wade started to dance around the lobby, gently pulling Gazelle around with him. Despite the wolf’s gusto he continually looked down at their feet to make sure he didn’t step on her toes, the act made her smile. But she guessed the warm paw on the small of her back didn’t hurt, nor the fingers that held her hoof in a gentle grip. As they danced around the lobby, the tigers watching the self-satisfied grins, Gazelle remembered the first few times she had talked to Wade, how the wolf had given her such distrustful looks, how he had shed away from any physical contact. But now, now he was _holding_ her, and his eyes that she had always found beautiful were giving her the tenderest of looks. The whole thing made her so happy she nearly cried. 

The melody of the trumpet came to an end but just before it did Wade wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around. The two laughed, their eyes sparkling and their noses nearly touching, and for just a moment Gazelle thought he would kiss her. But then he placed her back on her feet and let his arms drop.

His smile was once again bashful, “Cheered up yet?”

She smiled gratefully, “Very.”

 Wade looked over to the tigers, “How was my dancing?”

“I’d give it a solid four,” Kan said. Wade’s ears pressed back against his skull, his expression affronted. He started a light-hearted argument with the four about his dancing skills while Gazelle wished them goodnight and left, her smile still in place and delicious electricity still running through her fur.


	39. Chapter 39

Winter was working a part time job at the cinema during break. It wasn’t a bad gig, she got all the free popcorn and movie tickets she wanted and she liked having chats with random mammals as they ordered their snacks and headed to their chosen film.

 On a particular nice day she was greeted by the sight of Honey and her father. The larger badger saying something to his daughter before heading off to the restroom, Honey made her way to the concession stand and Winter already had a smile waiting for her.

“Hey,” she greeted.

Honey smiled in delighted surprise, “Hey Winter, I didn’t know you worked here.”  
 “I’m just collecting some extra money,” the artic fox explained, resting her elbows on the counter. “Can’t have too much spare change I say. So what are you and your dad watching? The latest action flick?”  
Honey let out a longing sigh, “I _wish_. My dad’s trying to mold me into a typical young lady so we’re going to watch the chick flick instead.”

“You don’t need to change,” Winter assured her. “But the ‘chick flick’ showing is _The Wedding Doe_ , it’s pretty cute.”

Honey smiled gratefully at the fox’s first sentence before speaking again, “Can you tell me what it’s about, what parts I’m suppose to laugh at.”

 “It’s about a doe who hires a guy to be her date at her baby sister’s wedding,” Winter explained. “But he ends up charming her and all her friends and they fall in love but turns out the best mammal at the wedding whose also her ex had been cheating on her back when they were dating and _no one_ told her and I officially lost you.”

Winter smirked at Honey’s blank expression, “Just laugh when the rest of the audience laughs.”

 “I’ll do that,” Honey said, “Thanks, Winter.”

The artic fox waved off the words, “I’m the queen of wasting time watching silly romances and dreaming that it was me on that screen instead.”

“You’ll get your own fairy tale romance,” Honey assured her. “You’re a pretty girl pretty girls get dates.”

 Winter smiled warmly at the badger, her ears turning pink, “I hope you’re right.”

            “Have you ordered our snacks, Honey?” the badger’s father called as he made his way over to the counter.

“Oh, sorry Dad, I was talking to Winter and totally forgot,” Honey apologized meekly before ordering two bags of popcorn and two sodas.

“Winter?” her father echoed while said artic fox got their snacks ready.

“She goes to my school,” Honey explained. “She and Nick kinda sorta dated.”

The older badger snorted, “That boy seemed like the type to kinda sorta date.”

“Don’t hold it against her, Dad,” Honey beseeched her father, despite the fact she was whispering Winter could still hear her. “She’s actually pretty great and super smart.”

Winter smiled to herself before turning around and handing them the popcorn and drinks, “That’ll be fifteen dollars all together.” She accepted the bills the older badger gave her and waved them off, “Enjoy the movie.”

  She leaned against the counter, rested her chin in a paw and watched the two go, and then her phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out and answered it without looking at the caller ID, “Talk to the snowflake.”  
 “WINTER ANASTASIA STORME YOU KNEW!” Sven’s booming voice blasted in her eardrum. “I know you knew Charlie was here and you didn’t tell me because you’re cruel and think you know what’s best and want to see me have my heart stomped on!” During his tirade Winter heard the beep signaling another caller. She interrupted him, “Yeah Sven I’m gonna let you finish but I got another call, give me a moment.”

“DON’T YOU HANG UP ON ME-” _Click_.

She answered the other call, “Hi?”

 “You always thought you were so clever,” Charlie’s disapproving voice growled on the other end. “But do you honestly think I don’t believe you knew that Sven was going to be here? I’d bet you suggested it to him all for your insatiable thirst to be a match maker.”

There was a long moment of silence. “Answer me, Winter. I know you’re there.”

“Sorry Winter isn’t in right now,” the fox said in a monotone voice. “Please leave your name and number after the beep. Beep!” She hung up the phone and dropped it onto the counter.

 “Well,” she smiled triumphantly at the device. “I handled that like a pro.”

 

.

 

            Sven had never felt so torn in his entire life. Charlie was avoiding him and a part of him was glad of that, if she really couldn’t be with him for the petty reason she had offered then best to stay away… But that meant she was spending time with that _other_ cheetah, Tanner Fuli. And the wild part of Sven that was reckless and did numerous idiotic things hated that, wanted to get that rich snob far, far away from _his_ Charlie.

And then the other half of his mind reminded him that Charlie wasn’t his.

  _Just split me in half already, that would be easier_ , the reindeer thought mournfully as he sat with his parents at breakfast.

 The two older reindeer were fondly reminiscing over an old vacation from when Sven was a baby. He was only half listening, his eyes across the dining room where Charlie and her parents sat with that Tanner cheetah and his father. The adults were already deep in conversation and Tanner was talking to Charlie, the female not looking over excited about the conversation.

 Sven smirked bitterly; Tanner despite being a cheetah didn’t look like the type to talk about sports. Or course… Charlie hadn’t seemed the type to reject someone because of their species.

            “Why don’t you go talk with her?” His parents had asked him that question numerous times since they had arrived days earlier, every time they noticed him looking at her, which he sadly did all the time. He simply told them he didn’t want to bother her while she was spending time with her parents or that teenage cheetah. He refused to tell them what Charlie had said back in Halloween, they loved her like she was the daughter they never had and he didn’t want to take that from him. He wanted to pretend that by letting them think she was the same cub from all those years ago then Charlie was that same cub, at least a little bit. It made the fact that he was still in love with her a little less painful.

 “Sven? Sven!” His mother’s voice shook him out of his thoughts and by her expression she had asked him a question he hadn’t heard.

“Sorry, Mama,” he apologized. “What is it?”

“I was asking if you were ready to go out and ski, but you were too busy staring at my future daughter in law.”

Sven cringed at those words, “Mama, I… I think she likes that other cheetah better.”

“Oh, please,” his father glanced over at Charlie. “She looks like she’s in pain. That cheetah isn’t any competition for _my_ son.”

Sven wished he had that confidence. “Anyway, I think I’d rather go for a walk. You two ski without me.” He needed the nice crisp winter air and he needed to be alone to enjoy it.

 

.

 

            Charlie rode the ski lift with Tanner, both having snow boards strapped to their feet and the female cheetah was about ready to go ahead and jump.

Tanner was a polite cheetah, always offering to open doors and fetching her drinks or snacks. But he was so _snooty_ and _boring_! He only ever talking about his father’s business (which was building and selling furniture) and didn’t have any interest in sports. Desperate for a mutually liked conversation she had asked him about music, he had then proceeded to play the piano stating he had taken many lessons, but he had only been playing for a few seconds before she stopped him. He wasn’t _bad_ at it per say but a lot of mammals sounded like amateurs after you listened to Sven play.

 Just the name made her want to sigh forlornly, she had been trying to avoid that reindeer since they had ran into each other, but thoughts of him continuingly ran through her head. She was getting tired of it all, she just didn’t know what to do anymore.

            “Have you ever snow boarded before?” Tanner asked her as they reached the top of the very large snow hill where other mammals were already skiing and boarding.

“No,” she answered honestly, “But I’ve skateboarded so how hard can it be?”

He shot her a disbelieving look but didn’t say anything.

Finally they made it to the top and Charlie saw the large hill right beneath her feet, the cold air blowing across her fur and for the first time in a long time Charlie genuinely smiled as adrenaline spiked through her veins.

 “See you at the bottom,” she told Tanner and jumped off the seat, her body rocking as the snow slipped under the board and it was going, gravity doing the work as she shot down the hill, Charlie balancing her body just right so she wouldn’t fall.

She didn’t check behind her to see how Tanner was fairing, she could honestly not have cared less.

 Instead she led her eyes slip shut and focused on nothing but the wind racing through her fur, reminding her of track and volleyball and all the other sports she loved-she loved the freedom she got, the energy that made her perform her best, it was all so amazing to her.

 But when Charlie opened her eyes again she saw she was sliding dangerously close to the slope, beyond the slope were a series of thick leafless trees. Charlie jolted in shocked and moved to steer away but lost her balance in the process and with a yelp she felt her board fall from the slope and the momentum sent her flying through the air before she crashed through the trees.

 

.

 

            Sven had been walking through the resort’s forest path, enjoying the quiet and the way the snow crunched beneath his feet and more importantly he didn’t have to see some snobby cheetah flirt with Charlie. Yes that had to be the best part.

 But his quiet time didn’t last, he had been walking for an hour and was ready to head back to the lodge when the sound of crashing rendered him still, the noise was quickly followed by howling and hissing.

Worried Sven made his way through the trees, glad they were all spaced apart enough for an animal his size but he was careful to mind his antlers. Finally he noticed a yellow shape farther into the woods and he hurried forward, his eyes widening when he saw it was Charlie-of course, it was Charlie-stuck in a thorny thicket, a few feet behind her was a snow board she must have been using for the slope he could make out through the tree line.

 The cheetah was hissing in pain as she tried to rip herself out of the thicket and Sven whistled appreciatively, catching her attention. Charlie’s eyes bulged in terror when she saw him.

 “That must have been some leap,” he said, his voice teasing as he knelt down to be at eye level with the thicket. “You soar like a spotted bird.”

 She scowled and continued her struggle, “Har, har, hilarious. Forgive me if I don’t burst into laughter when I’ve got thorns all over my body.”

“I get that,” Sven said agreeably. “But if you stay still I can help you out.”

When the cheetah gave him a suspicious glare he smiled, “I’ve gotten stuck in my fair share of thickets, especially with this glorious rack.” He smiled endearingly up at his antlers.

Charlie let out a breath of air and nodded, making her body go still. Sven leaned forward and carefully pulled certain branches apart, helping Charlie out one limb at a time. When she had managed to stand Sven surprised them both and picked her up, delicately placing her beside him and away from the thicket’s reach.

 Charlie stared at the reindeer with open shock and he quickly released her waist, “Sorry, got carried away.”

“…No problem,” she said, still looking thrown off as she fetched her snowboard. “And thanks.”

 “No problem,” he echoed the words, and then decided to change the subject, “Where’s your boyfriend?”

“He’s not…” Charlie released a sigh and didn’t finish the sentence. “What are you doing out here?”

“I was walking the trail,” Sven pointed over his shoulder toward the path. “I’m about to head back if you want to follow.”

She didn’t look ecstatic at the thought but nodded, “Okay. Lead the way.”

            Sven did that, making it back to the trail with Charlie behind her, the snowboard clasped under one arm.

“It’s none of my business,” Sven began. “But you didn’t look exactly enthralled by whatever Tanner couldn’t shut up about.”

“Like you are a mammal of few words,” Charlie clipped sarcastically.

“Never claimed to be,” Sven said. “But at least when I talk animals are interested in what I have to say.”

“He’s my dad’s boss’s son,” she explained, her voice quiet, “My parents want me to spend time with him.”

 “They couldn’t find a less snooty cheetah?” Sven couldn’t help his bitter side from speaking next, “But any cheetahs are better than a reindeer, huh?”

He heard Charlie’s footsteps falter than stop altogether. He halted but didn’t turn around to look at her, he couldn’t.

“It…it isn’t what you think,” she breathed.

 “Doesn’t matter, you won’t tell me.” He kept walking and the cheetah followed. “…But tell me what you and Tanner talk about.”

“Why do you want to know?”

“This trek isn’t a short one.”  
He heard Charlie exhale loudly, “He’s boring.”

Sven snorted in amusement. “That all?”

“No, you don’t get it,” Charlie picked up her pace so she was walking next to the reindeer’s side. “He’s like _really_ boring. All he ever talks about is his father’s stupid store, my dad works there I already know enough about it. And he doesn’t like sports at all, I mean I don’t expect him to be obsessed with fitness like me but if he wants me to like him he could at least listen to me talk about it, or at least talk about _one_ of my interests.”

She kept rambling on about her dislike of the cheetah and Sven had a feeling she had wanted to find someone to vent to. He had to wonder why she spent time with him if she didn’t like him but he was scared to ask. Standing next to Charlie, feeling her body heat and listening to her voice, it filled him with that ever present longing and he wished he could reach his arms out and touch her.

            “Oh!” Charlie stopped her rant and her feet. “We’re here.”

Sven looked forward to see the resort before him, his heart sunk, that had been a shorter trip than he had suspected.

“Uh…” the cheetah looked at him awkwardly, probably now realizing she had ranted to him the entire way back. “Thanks for leading me back, I should… I’m going in now.”

“Wait.” Sven started as Charlie made her way forward. Just a little longer, just let her be next to him a little longer. “I’m faster than you!”

 Charlie stopped in her tracks and turned around to face the reindeer, “Excuse me?”

Sven smirked mockingly, “Since I left back when we were kids I’ve been practicing my running, I do say I’m faster than you.”

“Why didn’t you say anything before now?”

“I didn’t want to ruin your reputation as the fastest animal at St. Zoo,” he shrugged, “Even if it’s false.”  
 Charlie dropped the snowboard onto the ground, her eyes flaring with her competitive light, “Is that so? Then let’s see if you can come and get me.”  
 “I’ll give you a five second head start,” he offered.

“No need,” Charlie said then whirled around and started to dash toward the lodge, Sven gave chase but didn’t go as fast as he could. He was keeping his eyes on Charlie’s dashing feet, waiting for the right moment.

 It came when Charlie stepped on a particularly icy bit of snow and started to slip, her pace stopping for a fraction of a second which was enough time for Sven to lunge forward and tackle into the cheetah, knocking them both into the snow.

 Sven laughed triumphantly as he pinned her to the ground, “I win!”

“You cheated!” Charlie protested but she was grinning albeit reluctantly.

Sven smirked, “Isn’t my fault you didn’t think about slippery snow.”  He then started to chuckle rather loudly.

“Yes, yes, very funny,” Charlie rolled her eyes.

 “I was laughing about something else, actually,” he grinned.

“What’s that?”

 He leaned down to almost be nose to nose with hers, “If the rules of Chase and Pin still applied you and I would be engaged right now.”

            Sven had meant it as a joke, he had been in a good mood, he had managed to get Charlie to play with him and smile at him. And he also managed to make her cry.

Her eyes had widened in shock at his words, and then her brown eyes started to shimmer and then tears were pooling down her cheeks.

 Sven’s ears pulled back in horror, “Charlotte, what-” She roughly pushed him off before he could finish.

 “You always,” she stumbled to her feet and furiously wiped at her eyes, “ _Always_ have to say things like that.”

 “Charlie,” he began but the cheetah was already hurrying into the lodge.

 Sven stood up, watching her go with a hollow feeling in his chest. He turned around to grab the snowboard, return it to the resort’s staff, then maybe read a book or drink cocoa or play piano while that Tanner snuggled up with Charlie, _his_ Charlie. He would stand by and let him convince her to date him, to fall in love with him, to marry him and have cubs together… _His_ Charlie.

 “No…” Sven stopped, anger boiling up in his stomach, anger at Tanner, at himself, at Charlie, at this whole awful situation. “ _Hell no_!”

 He whirled around and dashed back into the lodge, ignoring the stares he got as he ran through the lobby and up the stairs, ready to find Charlie’s room, knock the door down and _demand_ they talk this through.

 Turns out he didn’t have to.

            “What were you doing out there with that reindeer?”  
Sven had been turning a corner of the hallway but quickly stepped back and hid behind the wall. Charlie and her mother stood in the middle of the hall, Mrs. Spotwood looking at her daughter with disappointment.

“I got lost in the woods, he was just leading me back here,” Charlie was looking down at the floor, looking like she wished a hole would appear so she could jump in.

 “What were you doing in the woods?” Mrs. Spotwood demanded, her teeth bared. “You and Tanner were supposed to be skiing together.”

“We were. But I got ahead of him and ending up falling off the slope and into the woods… It’s not my fault Tanner can’t use a snowboard and keep up with me.”  
 “Charlotte,” her mother let out a tired sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Do you want to die alone?”

 Sven’s eyes narrowed as Charlie shook her head.

“Then you need to learn how to talk to boys your age and get them to see the lovely little girl I raised. It’s great you’re so talented with sports and you have a bright future as a professional athlete, but after that…don’t you want to get married and have kids.” Her eyes narrowed, “You can’t do that with Sven.”

 The reindeer flinched and he took a step back. Halloween night was starting to make a lot of awful sense.

“I know that, Mom,” Charlie assured her in a tired tone.

“Then why did I look out my window and see him on top of you in the snow? And in broad _daylight_ , Charlotte what if Tanner saw?!”

 “Nothing happened. Can we please just let it go?”

 Mrs. Spotwood let out a frustrated noise, “Stay away from that reindeer, Charlie. I’ve told you that a dozen times before. I know you two were close friends but you’re two completely different species. You can’t be together.”

            Sven swallowed, his throat felt like sandpaper. The anger receding from his belly he turned and headed to his own room. Whatever he did next was going to need some planning.

 


	40. Chapter 40

“I call it The Water Flower. Mr. Hoover liked it but I don’t know if it’s my _best_ work.”

Bellwether stood behind Percy and the rabbit’s brand new boyfriend, Otto while they examined the otter’s painting.

 The three were in a small art museum, the owner showing off the works of young local up and coming artists, Otto was one of said artists.

“What are you talking about?” Percy gushed to the otter. “It looks so good.”

Otto glanced away with one of his rare bashful smiles before turning back to the rabbit. “You really think so?”

“Of course!” Percy turned around to his sheep friend, “You think so too, right Dawn?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” Bellwether agreed distractedly. In truth she had been imaging what Leodore would have to say about Otto’s painting

She had been doing that a lot since winter break started. Following Percy and Otto around and thinking of Leodore, and that fact made her furious.

            Leodore had made how he felt about her perfectly clear, even if he hadn’t meant the words he had said to Lucy but by saying them he showed he was ashamed of her. She had left him making it perfectly clear they weren’t friends anymore. So why couldn’t she act like that? Why couldn’t she just forget about him and find some other friends, ones who appreciated her. Yeah she had Percy but the bunny was so love struck he barely noticed her these days. Dawn could bet Leodore already found new friends, _lions_ , to spend time with and she assured herself the thought didn’t send bile up her throat.

 Percy must have noticed her sour expression because his ears drooped, “You okay, Dawn?”

“I’m fine,” she tried to assure him. “And your painting is really nice, Otto.”

“Thanks, Dawn,” the otter replied but he could see she wasn’t in the best of moods either. “But I think we’ve seen enough of my art, how we got get something to eat? My treat.”

 “That sounds good,” Dawn said while Percy nodded eagerly. She followed the two out of the museum, determined to push Leodore as far from her mind as possible. She apparently had a small mind…

 

.

 

            If there was one good thing about a Lionheart reunion it was that Leodore got wine. His grandfather had a giant wine cellar and always let the relatives raid it when they visited, Leodore and Lucy part of that majority. The two actually getting along as they made themselves comfy in one of the mansion’s many dens with Alex who at this point was completely sloshed and reciting random lines from one of his plays.

 But the more Leodore sipped from his cup the more the empty gnawing in his gut increased and he realized it was loneliness, he may have been surrounded by his family but he was lonely. He didn’t want them…he knew who he wanted.

 “What are you doing?” Lucy asked from where she was sprawled over the couch, her feet on Leodore’s lap. She let out a loud yawn, flashing her teeth.

“Texting,” Leodore replied, holding his phone between his paws and sending a quick hello to Dawn’s number. He absently wondered if she had already deleted his number.

 “Texting who?”

“Your mom,” he replied and Lucy burst out laughing.

“We are too old for mom jokes,” she told him, “But let’s appreciate that we can make mom jokes at each other and not be talking about the same mom.”

 “Freaky,” Leodore said, tossing the phone onto the coffee table. He let out a pathetic sigh and laid his head on the couch arm, his head felt only so attached, his mind swishing this way and that, an image of something fluffy and white dancing around his mind.

 

.

 

            Dawn and her mother were fixing up Christmas cookies in the kitchen, singing an old holiday song as they did so. Her father would be returning in a few days to spend the holidays with his wife and daughter and the two ewes were ecstatic at the news, fixing the house up so it would look like a Christmas getaway.

 “We’re going to have a nice big dinner,” her mother declared, fixing up her famous grass casserole as she talked. “Want to invite any of your friends?”

“Percy might want to come,” Dawn said. “But only if we can invite Otto.”

 “What about Leo?”

Dawn halted a moment before continuing to mix the salad dressing, “He’s at his grandfather’s for a family reunion.”  
 “That’s nice,” her mother said. “Did you give him his gift already or are you going to wait until you go back to school?”

 Dawn shrugged, “I don’t know.” Just then she felt her phone vibrate with a text. Expecting it to be Percy wanting to tell her how his date with Otto had went she pulled it out and gaped when Leodore’s name flashed before her eyes. She opened the message and saw three words: **I need u**

 The words nearly sent Dawn to the floor. She shook her head and put her phone back in her pocket. They weren’t friends anymore; she didn’t care if he needed her, besides the text had probably been meant for one of his _new_ friends.

 What did she expect? He needed her because he missed her? He needed her because he wanted to truly apologize to her? He needed her because he no longer cared what his family thought and she was too important to him to let go? He needed her because he was in trouble and needed her to be his hero?

            Dawn cussed under her breath and turned to give her mother a painful look. “Mama? Sorry, but could I go? I need to do something.”  
Her mother looked at her with surprise, “What’s wrong?”

“…Leodore needs me.”

 

.

 

            Leodore had taken his three young cub cousins: Lizzy, Louisa, and Leonardo to a nearby candy store to get them a snack. Now he was heading back to his grandfather’s, the three cubs walking ahead of him, chasing each other around with suckers between their teeth.

 Leodore wasn’t much of a kid person but he liked his three cousins well enough, at least they didn’t throw expectations on him like everyone else. At least if he hurt their feelings they would accept his apology and go right back to liking them.

 Louisa scurried over to Leodore and grabbed his paw between her sticky fingers, looking up at the lion with her sucker between her lips. “Leo, are you a prey-chaser?”

The older lion nearly stopped in his tracks, “Where did you hear _that_?”

“Lucy,” she replied. “She said you were a prey-chaser because you like a sheep at your school.”

 “Well prey-chaser isn’t a nice word and you shouldn’t go around saying that,” Leodore told her then leaned forward as he continued, “And tell Lucy she doesn’t know nor can prove anything and if she doesn’t shut her mouth I’ll shut it for her.”

            Finally they made it back to the mansion, the three cubs running inside while Leodore followed at a slower pace. Passing the threshold he heard voices speaking in the living room, not wanting to talk to any relatives after his talk with Louisa he turned to head up the stairs only for his father’s voice to boom through the house: “Leodore, come here.”  
 Sighing the lion obeyed, heading into the living room and nearly falling down in shock when he saw what awaited him there.

Dawn was standing in the middle of the room, some of his relatives sitting around the room on couches and chairs, looking at her with interest. Even his parents looked mildly pleased to see her. Leodore almost pinched himself to see if he was dreaming.

 “Son,” his mother spoke up, her voice even. “You have a visitor.”

“Hello, Leodore,” Dawn greeted him like her being with his family was the most natural thing. He noted she had a bag across her shoulder.

“H-Hey,” he stammered, no doubt staring dumbly.

The cubs walked over to Dawn and sniffed at her, the sheep taking a step back her smile becoming a little pained. Leodore remembered she wasn’t much for kids either.

 Leonardo walked up to stand behind the sheep and started messing with the wool atop her head, Dawn cringed but didn’t say anything. The cub grinned and leaned against her, burying his face in her wool, “Feels like cotton candy.”

 Dawn had turned stock still, her head huddled between her shoulders while Lizzy held up one of her arms and messed with her hoof, “These aren’t soft like paws.”

 “Huh, how nice,” Dawn said with a fake chuckle. A couple of Leodore’s older relatives snickered at the sight.

 Louisa tugged at his pant leg and he looked down at her. “Is that the prey you’re chasing?” she whispered the question.

 “Dawn what are you doing here?” Leodore asked the sheep, avoiding the cub’s question.

 “She has some papers for you to look over,” his father told him. It took Leodore a long second to recognize the emotion in Adda’s voice. It was pride. “Bellwether had been telling us about all you’ve done as school president. You never mentioned any of it to me.”  
 “I didn’t think it would interest you,” Leodore answered honestly.

“It sounds impressive to me, Leo,” Alex said. “And I like this sheep, she’s a grade A suck up, those aren’t appreciated like they used to be.”

 Dawn smiled up at Alex, unperturbed by his wording, “I just still can’t believe I’m in the same room as one of Boarway’s best actors, you blew me away in _The Lion King_.”

Alex laughed and pointed at her, “See what I mean?”

 “Dawn do you want to talk outside?” Leodore asked her and the sheep nodded, pulling away from the cubs and following him outside to the porch.

            “What are you _really_ doing here?” Leodore asked the same time Dawn spoke: “What’s wrong?”

He blinked at her, “What do you mean what’s wrong?”

Dawn’s eyes widened and he took note of how her ears slightly blushed, “You-you texted _me_. Said you needed me. I thought something bad had happened.”  
Now it was Leodore to turn hot under his mane, he tried to remember his drunk texting and recalled that thought running through his mind when he texted her, he just didn’t realize he had actually texted the words.

 “I um…” his voice trailed off awkwardly. “I was drinking a bit of wine when I texted that so…”

 “So you didn’t mean it,” Dawn’s voice was calm and even, but her eyes were stormy. “Sorry to bother you, I’ll just go.”

 “Wait, wait,” Leodore stepped in front of her, blocking her from leaving. “I didn’t mean it like that. I don’t want you to go.”

 Dawn raised her brows, “It’s okay now that I’ve charmed your family? Made them think you do all the work back at school?”

 “I wanted to apologize, actually,” Leodore said, trying to smile but it just felt awkward on his face.

 She narrowed her eyes, “I thought I made it clear I don’t want your _pity_.”

 “It’s not pity,” Leodore insisted desperately, “I’m apologizing because I don’t want to lose you!”

 “You should have thought of that when you were talking to your sister,” Dawn snapped. “The problem with you Leodore is that you act like you want to make your parents proud but you don’t do what it takes to make them. You’re not trying to be a lawyer like you’re father wants you to, if you didn’t care about that you shouldn’t care what they think about me! _I_ don’t care what they think of me you shouldn’t either!”

 Her words were meant with silence, Leodore’s throat felt dry as he tried to think of words to come with him, words that would bring his friend back, all he could say was the truth. “You’re right. I’m pathetic… I’m a coward too.”

She didn’t say anything and he kept talking: “I’m so mixed up about my life. I tell my dad I don’t want to be like him, and I don’t and I don’t care that he’s disappointed., I’m used to it. I don’t get why I felt ashamed of you…” He looked at the sheep, “Maybe it’s less shame and more fear.”

“Fear?” Dawn echoed, her brown knit in confusion.

“Haven’t you noticed? You’re absolutely terrifying, Lamb.”

She snorted in disbelief as Leodore kept on, “I’m closer to you than anyone else in the world, and being an idiot I took you for granted, I let my sister’s judgment make me say those _awful_ things, made me ruin the only thing I ever got right.”

“What did you ever get right?”

He pulled his lips back in a bittersweet smile, “Becoming your friend.”

He kneeled before the sheep who looked thrown off by his words, “You’re amazing, you know that? Not every sheep can walk into a den of lions and have them eating out of her paw. Speaking of, what did you say to them anway?”

 “I just talked about you,” she mumbled, eyes to the floor. “I know how you felt about it so I pretended I was just running an errand.”

“I don’t want you to pretend to be running errands,” Leodore’s voice was quiet. “I want you to be my friend again. I want to find a way to make it up to you for being such a coward, even if it takes me the rest of my life.”

Dawn wouldn’t meet his eyes, “I’m a grudge holder, Leo.”

 “I know, and I don’t blame you. But I still want to try.”

 There was a long minute of silence, Leodore waiting with baited breath to hear her answer. He wondered what he would do if she rejected him again.

Lucy had been right, he _was_ a prey-chaser.

 “I figured you’d be busy spending time with new friends,” Dawn ended up muttering. Bitterly he might add.

The obvious jealously in her voice made him chuckle, “Dawn, I can assure you all I’ve been doing with my life since the musical is mope about wishing I could talk to you.”

She finally looked up at him, her eyes searching his face and she hoped she found what she was looking for.

“Treat me like royalty and I might just give you a chance,” she said with a prim expression.

He grinned, “Really?”

“Against my better judgment,” she sighed, crossing her arms. “But I’m too kind hearted to leave you to mope.” Her words ended in a yelp as Leodore suddenly pulled her into a tight hug, his face buried against her soft wool.

“L-Leo?” she stammered questioningly, feeling the lion shaking against her.

“Thank you,” he breathed his voice thick with emotion. “I’ll make it up to you, I _swear_.”

            Her heart pattered happily and Dawn wondered when she had become such an idiot. Giving this stupid lion a chance, what had come over her? She recalled a night, many years ago when they were kids playing in her room. The game had gotten a little rough and Leodore had flashed his claws which had mad Dawn huddle in a corner with tears streaming down her face. In between sobs she had explained her fear to the dismayed lion cub who had then hugged her, not unlike this, and had refused to let her go. She had cried against his chest, tried to push him away, begged him to let her go because all she could image was his teeth going for her throat. He had said he wouldn’t, that he was her friend and had promised to protect her and he wouldn’t let go until she realized that.

Dawn had the answer to her current question.

 “Come on,” Leodore finally stood up, still holding her. She hated to admit it but she had missed being carried around by the lion. “Let’s go back inside.”

“Why?” she frowned.

“My first step to making it up to you is to tell my family I’ve invited you to dinner.”

           


	41. Chapter 41

The alarm blared angrily, jolting Rick from his sleeping. He allowed himself a pathetic moan before slamming his paw on the alarm clock, rendering it silent before he crawled out from under the warm covers and into the cold air of the motel room. He stood up, knowing if he stayed on that lumpy bed any longer he would go right back to sleep. He smacked his lips and stretched, his body shaking with the effort.

 His phone suddenly started to ring and he moved the covers back to search for it, finding it under his pillow and hitting the answer button at the last second.

 “Hello,” he put it to his ear and was greeted by his mother’s woman voice.

“Rick, sweetie, I’m so sorry I haven’t had time to call you these past few days. Everything’s been so hectic with your grandparents I never had any time to call except late at night and I wanted you to have your sleep.”

“Its fine, Mom,” Rick assured her with a small smile. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, your grandparents are doing good, we usually just watch TV while I cook and clean for them.”  
 “Please don’t wear yourself out it’s suppose to be _vacation_.”

His mother let out an amused huff that brushed over Rick’s ear. “Yes, _sir_. Now, how’s my junior doctor? You having a good time?”

“Yeah,” Rick lied, his smile now becoming forced. “It’s been great, everyone’s so nice and I’m learning so much. I’m glad I came.”

 “That’s so good, baby. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks, Mom. But I need to be getting ready.”  
 “Of course, of course,” Amelia said understandably. “Don’t let me stop you. Go make yourself a doctor Rick.”

 

.

 

            “So,” Bucky said as he sipped his coffee. “Has our opinion on the new fox changed or…?”

 He, Prong, and May were leaning against a wall, each holding their own cups of coffee, enjoying their break while Rick raced around the hospital, desperate to make up for lost time since he had been late this morning. At the moment he was trailing Dr. Moore, listening as the sheep droned on about the items he would need for his next patient and expected the fox to bring it all to him quickly.

 “He’s kinda cute,” Prong admired, not noticing or ignoring, the jealous glare Bucky sent him.

 May watched the fox with a cool look. “He’s lasted longer than I thought he would,” she admitted. Those words made the two boys look at her, May hardly ever contradicted herself.

 “Where’s the ice queen we all know and love?” Prong asked teasingly, giving her a nudge.

She smirked up at him, “Oh, she’s still here, don’t you worry. Still…” she sipped her coffee, her eyes still on Rick. “If anything else, he’s a pretty thing to look at.”

 

.

 

            Lunch break couldn’t have come fast enough. Rick’s feet already ached and his ears rang with the snickers his fellow interns, and despite all the work he had been doing for the other doctors he felt like he hadn’t learned anything. So as he made his way down the hall to leave the hospital and find a cheap place to eat, he did so dishearteningly.

 He passed an open door and glanced inside, he stopped. Inside the room was one patient bed, drapped over the top half of the bed was a plastic transparent curtain that looked like a tent, a machine was pumping some kind of medicine into the air of the tent that Rick could smell from where he stood. Sitting inside the tent was a young polar bear cub who was looking toward his left with a sour expression.

 Rick stepped inside, “Something wrong?” He took note the boy was alone.

The cub jumped, he hadn’t seen the fox standing there. He blinked before pointing to a table under the window of the room; he saw a stack of paper, crayons, and a book. “I want those. Doctor said I couldn’t get out of this tent.”

 “I’ll get them for you,” Rick said, walking over and picking up the paper and crayons. His eyes widened in surprise when he looked at the title of the book. It was _The Evening Society_.

            “This is kind of a big read for a little guy like you,” Rick said, stepping over to stand by the bed.

The cub pouted, “I’m not little! I’m already eight!”

“Right,” the fox smiled. “I’m Rick. What’s your name?”

“Morris,” the cub smiled the friendliest smile Rick had seen since he got here.

Rick stuck his paws through the opening of the tent to place the items in front of the cub, “Pleased to meet you, Morris. Um…why are you stuck in this tent, if I may ask?”

 Morris picked up a sheet of paper and mused over what crayon he would use. “I was born with pneumonia. I almost died, I got better but my lungs aren’t so good so the doctors make me sit in here to help me breathe until they get stronger.”

 “Oh,” Rick said, surprised the little cub was taking the fact so calmly. He decided to change the subject, “You know that’s one of my favorite books.” He pointed to the novel.

 Morris grinned at him, “Really? Who’s your favorite character? I’ll draw them.”

Rick looked up in thought, “I like the Vulpine Archer.”

The cub nodded excitedly, “Me too! He’s so cool!” Morris picked up the red crayon and started on his drawing.

 “I’ll come look at it after lunch break,” the fox told him, turning around to head out the room. He stopped, looking back at the cub who was all alone. “Shouldn’t there be a nurse with you or something?”

“My friend is coming over to spend lunch with me,” Morris said, not looking up from his drawing. “She’ll be here soon.”  
Rick looked back at the door then back at Morris. “How about I stay until she gets here?”  
 The cub smiled up at him, “Sure, you can draw with me!” He scooted over and patted the place beside him, “Don’t worry, the medicine won’t hurt you.”

 Rick crawled onto the bed and slipped inside the tent to sit next to Morris, accepting the paper the polar bear offered him. “Who do you like? I’ll draw them.”

 Morris tapped his chin with the bottom of the red crayon, “I like…Night Eyes, the bat.”

 “Okay then,” Rick smiled, picking up the gray crayon and starting his drawing. He couldn’t remember the last time he had colored.

 “How did you come across _The Evening Society_?” Rick asked him.

“My friend brought it to me,” Morris answered then looked embarrassed. “I can read some of it but there are a lot of big words so she usually reads it for me.”

 Rick smiled at the bear, “It’s okay; it took me a long time to learn how to read big books too.”

            Just then there were footsteps as someone entered the room, Rick looked up and was surprised to see it was May. The pig looked just as surprised to see the fox, staring at him openly; a tray of food between her hooves.

Morris broke into a huge grin, “May! You’re here!”

 She shook herself from her surprise and smiled at the cub, “Hi, Morris. How are you?”

“I’m good,” the bear grinned while May placed the tray on a table and pulled up a chair to sit beside the bed. “This is my new friend, Rick.”

 The pig once again looked at the fox with surprise, “Is he?”

Morris nodded before his eyes trailed to the tray of food, specifically the three pudding cups. “Can we eat the pudding first?”

 She gave the cub a wry look, “I don’t think your parents would approve of you eating dessert first…but I think we can keep this our little secret. I even brought you an extra one.”

 “Rick can have that,” Morris said as he accepted the vanilla pudding May handed to him.

The pig frowned at Rick but gave him the extra pudding cup; he tried not to smirk at her. The three sat in relative silence, enjoying their treats while Morris told May that Rick liked _The Evening Society_. May scowled in disbelief, “ _You_ read Franklin Bearstain?”

Rick returned the scowl, “ _You_ do? You hardly seem the type to enjoy a good book.”

She snorted, “You hardly seemed the type to know how to read.”

 Morris laughed at the older mammals’ antics. “You two are funny.” The cub looked up at Rick, “Do you know any jokes? May’s already told me all the ones she knows.”

 “I do know _one_ ,” Rick said. “It used to make my little brother laugh all the time.” Morris nudged him eagerly, “Tell me, tell me.”

 “Yes, tell us,” May lean back against her seat. “Make us laugh.”

 Rick glanced at her before turning back to the bear cub. “Alright, knock knock.”

“Who’s there?”

 “The interrupting cow.”

“The interrupting co-” before Morris could finish Rick leaned into the cub’s face and let out a loud “MOO!”

 The cub burst into laughter, and Rick could’ve sworn he saw May smirking in amusement. When Morris laughing fits had calmed he returned to his drawing, finishing it and handing it to Rick just before the nurse came in and told them the lunch break was over and Morris needed his check up.

 “I’ll come back and see you later,” Rick promised the cub.

Morris looked to May, “You too, right?”

 “You know I will,” the pig smiled tenderly at him. Rick hadn’t believed she was capable of such a feat.

            The two left the room and started down the hall, Rick was glad that pudding cup had been surprisingly filling. And he took note that May was walking by his side, whenever they had been forced to work together she always walked ahead of him as if Rick wasn’t worthy of standing by her side. Apparently that wasn’t the case anymore.

 “How did you do that?” May asked out of the blue, looking up at the fox with confusion.

“Do what?” he asked.

 “It took me weeks to become Morris’s friend,” she explained. “You knew him for a few minutes and already he’s crazy about you.”

 “It’s almost like I’m a nice guy,” Rick said, his voice thick was a level of sarcasm that would’ve made Nick proud.

 May rolled her eyes and picked up her pace, walking ahead of him once again. Rick’s phone then decided to vibrate against his thigh. He pulled it out of his pocket and was surprised to see a message from Judy. Opening it he saw she had sent a picture, it was a picture of her, but behind the rabbit he saw Nick standing in what looked to be a kitchen, wearing a carrot patterned apron and surrounded by small bunnies walking around his feet, they were all covered in flour and what looked to be blueberry juice. He read the text below the photo: **Making Blueberry Pizza.**

 Rick looked back up to focus on Judy, she was looking at the camera, her eyes were on Nick, and they were warm and fond in a way he knew she wasn’t aware of. He had never seen that level of affection when she had looked at him…

 “Woah, who is she?”

Rick looked up to see that May had stopped, looking at him over her shoulder with a wide, amused grin.

 “What?” his brow furrowed.

 “I could’ve heard that sigh all the way across town,” she stated, walking over to stand before him. Before Rick knew what she was doing she had swiped his phone from his paw.

 “Give that back!” he snapped, reaching for it but May kept him away at arm’s length, keeping the phone out of his reach as she looked at the picture Judy had sent. “I’m going to assume the fox being overrun by baby bunnies,” she smirked. “He looks like you.”  
That gave Rick pause. He had never heard that before, Rick had green eyes and his fur was close to an orange tint, Rick’s eyes were blue and his fur was a darker shade.

May must have sensed his confusion, “You’re muzzles look similar,” she explained, “Your ears are the same length and you both have the same body type.”

Before Rick could mull over those words she continued, “So that sigh must have been over that bunny,” she nodded at Judy. “She’s pretty, I like her eyes.” She looked up at the fox, “Didn’t peg you as a prey-chaser though.”

 Rick bared his teeth and snatched the phone away, putting it back in his pocket before stomping ahead, “It’s none of your business.”

 “Hey, it’s fine,” May easily kept pace with his angry steps. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a pred-chaser.”

He looked down at her, slightly surprise, “Who’s the lucky predator?”

“I said I chase I didn’t say I caught,” she replied then indicated to her body. “Unfortunately for me most boys like skinny girls.”

 “You’re not fat,” he stated because she wasn’t. She was full-bodied, the exact body type she should be, a pig being skinny was like a red fox being born with green fur. It went against their genetics.

She smirked at him, “I appreciate the words but that’s a lie. It wouldn’t bother me so much if there were a few decent pigs around, they’d appreciate my curves.”

            They walked in silence for a moment before Rick sighed, “She’s not mine.”

May looked up at him, “She likes your brother, hm?”

This pig noticed everything immediately, didn’t she? Rick nodded, “We tried to date…It didn’t work out.”

 “Because of your brother?” May inquired.

“No, she said she didn’t feel a spark.” And he didn’t want to blame Judy for that, he didn’t, he was happy for her and Nick… He just couldn’t get the disgusting feeling out of his stomach when he thought about it.

 “I’ve heard that one before,” May said. “More than once actually. It may be nicer than a break up over text but it still makes you feel pretty pathetic.”

 He looked down at her, she kept surprising him. “Yeah, it does.”

            The two walked into an empty elevator and pressed the button for the fifth floor.

They both leaned against the wall, May crossing her arms and Rick letting the wall take his weight. The pig spoke up, “That was a really stupid joke you know that?”

Rick smirked, keeping his eyes on the numbers above, “Deny all you want I saw you laugh.”

 May rolled her eyes, “It was out of pity.”

 Rick’s phone vibrated again and he pulled it out, this time he had a message from his brother. Opening the picture he smiled at the image. Rick and Judy and a gaggle of bunnies stood before a table, onto of the table was a round shape that could only be a blueberry pizza. The bread was replaced by flour, the sauce caramel, the cheese was instead sugary powder and the toppings were, of course, blueberries.

 May walked over and peered over his shoulder at the picture, her hooves resting on Rick’s arm. “That thing looks terribly delicious,” she breathed.

 “And unhealthy,” the fox pointed out.

 May turned her head to look at him, “That’s why I added the word ‘terribly’.”

Rick swiveled his head to meet her eye, “It’s-” he stopped when he realized how close May was. He could see what looked like flecks of gold amidst the amethyst, and his throat suddenly felt dry.

 May noticed his dazed expression and smirked, “If I didn’t know any better, Foxy…” she leaned even closer and their noses just barely touched her expression a mix of haughtiness and flirtation. “I’d think you had the hots for me.”

 She chuckled and stepped back as the elevator dinged open, “But that’s just silly.” She stepped out of the elevator, leaving Rick to stare after her.

 


	42. Chapter 42

“ _What_ happened?!”

Judy flinched, her ears turning red as she looked at her two friends, both of them talking to her through MuzzleTime. Clawhauser had gone to Fru Fru’s for a visit and they decided to give Judy a surprise call. The bunny still thrown by what had happened that morning had ended up telling them despite the fact she knew it wasn’t a good idea.

 “It was an _accident_ ,” she told him. “There’s no reason to get all frantic.”  
 “If that had happened a few months ago you would’ve killed him,” Fru Fru pointed out.

            What they were talking about was that morning Judy had been in one of the communal bathroom with a few of her younger siblings, helping them bath as she let the warm water from the showers wash out the snow and dirt from her fur. But then her little sister Julie ran out of the bathroom in nothing but her fur, Judy had grabbed a towel and went after her, laughing.

 “Julie, get back here you silly-” she walked out the door and turned to her left in time to see Julie running past Nick. The two’s eyes met and both let out sounds of surprise before Judy ducked back into the bathroom, grateful she had had a towel covering the front of her body.

 “I DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING!” Nick called out, his voice thick with awkwardness, “I DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING!”

 “I-I believe you,” she called back, her voice a little breathless and she ignored the giggling of her younger siblings who were still running around in the showers. “We’re almost done and then you can use it.”

 “No, I’m good,” Nick called back, his voice shaky. “I’m clean.”

            He then proceeded to avoid her during breakfast, accepting a seat between Fred and George as the three tried to get Gwen to start a conversation with the fox. But Judy had been too preoccupied with other things to be bothered by it.

 “I told my parents I wanted to be a cop,” she told her two friends.

Their eyes widened and they shared a glance before looking back at her. “And?” Clawhauser asked.

 “The looks on their faces,” Judy laughed humorlessly, “You’d think I told them I wanted to be an axe murderer.”

“Oh, sweetie,” the cheetah moaned pitifully. “We’re sorry.”

“It’s going to be okay,” Judy assured them. “They just told me to really think about what I want to do with my life and to keep making good grades at school.”  
 “That’ll be easy,” Fru Fru smiled at her. “You’re the smartest girl I know.”

“Speaking of school,” Clawhauser added, “I actually can’t wait to get back. I miss you Judy.”

 “I miss you too,” Judy smiled warmly at her friends, “Both of you.”

 

.

 

            One afternoon Judy went out to town with her mother and a few of her sisters, not wanting to get in the way of the girls bonding Nick decided to stay at the Hopps house. Which was why he got dragged into climbing into the chimney.

 He had walked into the living room, aimlessly wondering around/looking for Fred and George when he saw a huddle of young bunnies peeking up into the chimney of the unlit fireplace.

 “What are you all up to?” Nick asked, stepping into the room.

One of the bunnies looked up at him; Nick recognized the bunny as Martin, one of Judy’s younger brothers who had been a part of the snowball war (a war that the fox had gotten creamed in).  “We were playing catch outside and our ball fell into the chimney.” He looked back up said chimney. “It got stuck in there.”

 Nick crouched next to the bunnies and joined them in looking up the dark stone pipe; he could just make out a sunny yellow object that had to be the ball.

            “I can get that,” he stated and was rewarded by the hopeful smiles of all the little rabbits surrounding him.

“Really?” Martin gushed.

Nick winked at him before crawling into the fireplace and reached his arm up into the chimney, he stretched the limb as far as it would go the fireplace too small for him to move his head and look up into the vent.

He let out a triumphant noise when he felt the rubber of the ball and grabbed it between his claws. “I got it,” he stated, the bunnies letting out cheers. Nick pulled his arm down. It didn’t budge.

The fox’s eyes widened in slight panic and he tried again. He was stuck. “Oh…this is not good.”  
 “What’s wrong?” one of the smallest bunnies asked, her voice high-pitched.

“I’m stuck,” he informed the rabbits. “I can’t get out.”

 Apparently that was permission to hit the panic button because all the little rabbits started to run away in a calamitous flurry.

 “It’s not that big of a deal guys!” Nick tried to calm the bunnies. “I haven’t lost my arm!”

 “Not yet!” one of the rabbits wailed, “But our uncle Merle got his leg stuck in a chimney once and they had to saw his paw off!”

“Judy will kill us if she finds out we got her fox stuck in the chimney,” another pointed out.

 Then the bunny, Frank, who always looked so unimpressed with life stepped forward. “Maybe but we can’t leave him stuck in there.” He looked to his twin sister, “Francine! Go get the axe from the back porch.”

 “Wait, what!?” Nick gasped in panic and started to try and slip his arm out as Francine run off. “You can’t axe off my arm!”

 “Don’t get your tail in a twist,” Frank said with a professional maturity. “We can use my belt as a tourniquet so you don’t bleed to death.”

Nick suddenly had an image of years later, he would only have one arm and would read the headline of a newspaper that said: **RESIDENT RABBIT GONE RABID**.

            But then a voice spoke up and to Nick it was like the music of angels: “What’s going on here?”

“CARROTS!” he cried out as Judy and Amy walked into the living room, each holding a bag of carrots and other miscellaneous items. The two sisters’ eyes widened when they saw the scene before them.

 “Mr. Fox tried to get out ball but he got his arm stuck in the chimney,” one of the rabbits said.

 “Please never tell Finnick,” Nick begged of Judy.

“So we’re going to chop his arm off to set him free,” Frank stated proudly.

“Please don’t let them do that,” Nick begged again.

 “Oh my God,” Amy moaned, her ears dropping. Judy was already placing her bag on the floor and hurrying over to Nick.

“There will be no chopping of arms,” Judy told Frank, giving him a scolding look. She looked at Nick, trying to figure out where she should grab to pull him out.

“Here, I’ll try and pull his arm out,” Amy knelt next to her sister, “You grab his torso and pull.” She looked to her younger siblings, “You kids grab his tail and pull.”

 Nick gulped as he felt numerous sticky paws grab a hold of his beloved appendage. Amy reached her arms above his head and grabbed his arm in strong paws; Judy wrapped her arms around Nick, her ears tickling his nose.

 “On the count of three,” Amy called out, “One…two… _three_!”

Nick’s teeth gritted as his arm, torso, and tail were yanked hard, and a moment later he felt his arm slip out of the chimney and then they were all sprawled onto the floor, the momentum having sent them tumbling.

 “You okay, Carrots?” Nick asked, having landed on top of the rabbit, her arms still wrapped around him.

 “I’m fine,” she assured from under him. “You are kinda heavy though.” She released Nick and he was quick to get off her, apologizing as he did so. As soon as he had sat up he held out the soot covered ball in his paw, “Here you go, kids.”

He was swarmed by the little bunnies, hugging him and thanking him before grabbing the ball and heading back outside.

 “Don’t you kids throw that ball around the house anymore,” Amy called out sternly.

Judy stood up and helped Nick onto his feet, Amy looked over at the fox. “You sure you’re all right?”

 Nick nodded, “Thanks, Amy. You too, Carrots.”

Judy waved off his thanks, holding his once stuck arm in both her paws, running her fingers across the fur as she felt for any injuries. Nick couldn’t help feeling slightly flustered by her attention and Amy wasn’t helping with that piercing glare she was giving the two of them.

            Just then Francine walked into the living, wielding an axe. Nick hid behind Judy with a yelp, watching the small bunny with frightful eyes.

“No, no, Francine,” Amy took the axe from her little sister, “We’re not chomping anyone’s limbs off today.”

 

.

 

            Judy was a family bunny, Nick knew this and so he also knew to win her heart he’d have to win over her family, or at least her litter-mates. Fred and George found him hilarious, Harley wouldn’t get out of his fur, and he knew that Amy at least didn’t _dislike_ him.

So all that was left was Gwen.

            He found her walking down the hall, carrying a basket of laundry.

Making sure his smile didn’t show his teeth Nick hurried over to walk by her side, “Hey, Gwen.”

The rabbit let out a yip of fright but just stopped herself from rubbing off. “H-Hello?”

“Doing laundry, huh? Can I help?”

“N-no need,” Gwen said, stopping by a laundry shoot to toss the clothes in. She placed the basket next to the shoot and turned to head off down the hall, Nick followed after. “Where are you going now?”

“My mother wanted some help,” Gwen answered, her voice a squeak.

“I can help,” Nick offered. “Mothers love me.” At least, Amelia and Nanna loved him and they were mothers.

Gwen gave him a weird look, “There’s no need.”

“Just because I don’t have to doesn’t mean I don’t want to.”

            Nick followed Gwen into a nursery where Bonnie and a few other female rabbits were attending to babies. Nick smiled when he saw Judy, between Amy and Haley, the girls’ bottle feeding a trio of squirming infants.

Judy noticed him and looked faintly surprised, “Hey, Nick.”

“Hey, Carrots,” he greeted, ignoring some of the shifty looks he got from a few of the girls.

 Judy walked over to stand beside him, the baby now quietly suckling from the bottle. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to help Gwen,” Nick answered. Spoken of rabbit was picking up a crying infant and starting to rock him.

Judy nodded in understanding, looking sympathetically at her sister. “Sorry she’s been avoiding you,” Judy whispered to him so the others wouldn’t overhear.

“I still think I can win her over,” he told her.

 Judy looked thoughtful as if trying to figure out how he could do just that, but then Bonnie called for her and Judy rushed over to her mother’s side. Nick looked around awkwardly, the women having returned their attention to the babies.

 The fox noticed a play area in one corner of the room, a colorful rug complete with building blocks, dolls and other assorted toys for the toddler. One such toddler was lying on his belly, messing around with one of the building blocks.

Feeling bad that the little tyke was on his lonesome Nick snuck over to the corner, offering a friendly grin when the bunny stared up at him with big green eyes.

“Hi, baby,” Nick cooed crossing his legs as he sat on the rug. “What are you up to?”

The baby stuck his tongue out at the fox before turning his attention back on the block he held. Nick chuckled before reaching out and grabbing one of the free blocks, starting to build a little castle.

The architecture snagged the baby’s attention. He watched, mesmerized, as Nick built the fortress of wooden cubes. 

 “Want that to be the tower?” he asked, pointing to the block the baby still held. The bunny crawled over to the castle and smacked the cube on top, making the castle wobble but not fall.

            “There you go,” Nick congratulated, picking the baby up to place him on his lap so they could admire the work of art. “Beautiful.”  
However the bunny soon turned his focus to the fox instead, looking up at Nick and trying to grab at his muzzle. Nick held the baby up at eye level, allowing the little guy to place his small paws on his snout. The child let out a squeal of delight upon feeling Nick’s soft fur.

He smiled softly before noticing some of the girls had stopped what they’re doing to watch him. He had forgotten that most girls were suckers for a guy who was good with kids. By everyone’s expressions Judy and her family were no different.

“Hi,” he smiled at them and the bunnies all realized they had been staring and got back to work. Judy watched him a second longer, the fox giving her a wink before Judy looked away, her ears pink.

            Nick spent a few minutes playing with the baby bunny before Gwen walked over, placing a little girl on the rug.

“That’s Moe,” she indicated to Nick’s playmate. “And this is July.”

“Hi,” Nick smiled at July who stared up at him with brown eyes before crawling onto his lap. She reached up to play with the thick fur of Nick’s throat.

“They really like you,” Gwen observed.

“I’m a really likeable guy,” he replied, “Just ask your sister.”

Gwen smiled softly, her eyes devoid of the earlier skittishness. She mumbled a goodbye and walked back to her mother.

 Nick grinned down at the babies, “I am just too good at winning mammals over.”

 

.

 

            A few days later Nick found himself with a group of Hopps rabbits, ice skating. He had hoped to teasingly skate circles around Judy, maybe even offer to teach her how to keep her balance.

Turns out they were both on an equal level, which was not that good, at least not compared to her older siblings who were skating around like they were born on the ice.

“You know…” Nick said, trying to pick up speed without tripping. “This is kinda unacceptable. We live driving distance to Tundra Town we should have better skating skills.”

“Maybe we can work on it when we get back?” Judy offered, and then winced when Nick’s chin collided with the ice.

“If gravity doesn’t kill me first,” he mumbled from the ground.

            Meanwhile Amy, along with Fred, George, Harley, and Gwen were relaxing on the snowy bank. They were watching Judy help Nick to his feet when Fred spoke: “So, we’re all aware our sister is screwing a fox, right?”

“FRED!” Amy and Gwen gasped in dismay, glaring at their brother. George only laughed and Harley rolled her eyes.

 “Oh don’t _Fred_ me, look at them!” he wildly indicated to the two that were now skating across the lake. “They’re like…in never ending heat!”

Amy shook her head at them, “Judy is more responsible than that.”

“I’m not,” Harley purred, her eyes on an unaware Nick.

George leaned toward Amy, “But you have to agree there’s _something_ between them.”  
She looked back at Judy and the fox, “…I won’t go so far as to deny that.”

“He is much nicer than I thought he would be,” Gwen replied, as always her voice the softest of her litter-mates.

“And he’s comedic gold,” Fred declared, leaning against his paws. “I like him.”

“But Judy never really showed much interest in boys before,” Amy said with sisterly concern.

“I say it’s about time,” Harley quipped. “You, me, and Gwen got interested in boys’ years ago.”

 Fred snorted, “Harlot, you were interested in boys the moment you found out they weren’t girls.”

Harley pushed her brother with a foot, making Fred fall to his side with a cackle.

            Amy looked back at her sister and Nick. Judy had grabbed his arm, almost taking a fall and the fox was smirking saying something to her that Amy couldn’t catch. Judy returned the grin as she straightened up, but she didn’t release Nick’s arm.

Amy wondered if Judy knew how far gone she was.

 

.

 

            Nick and Judy had been banned from the kitchen for the rest of break after the mess they had made making blueberry pizza. An action Nick was positive he’d never regret.

So Judy was sent out into the snow to help her dad with freeing his truck from the thick snow that had trapped it. Since the last time Nick hadn’t gone with Judy had led to his arm almost getting axed off he followed her outside like his life depended on it.

            Stu was already outside, shovel in paw, as he tried to dig his hood free, the snow having reached to the truck’s windows.

“What’s he doing here?” Stu asked, looking at Nick as the two walked over after fetching a pair of shovels from the barn.

“He wants to help us,” Judy answered, taking note of her father’s unfriendly look and stepping closer to the fox. Nick’s chest felt warm from the silent gesture.

 “Then you two better get started,” Stu said after a moment before returning to his shoveling. Judy took her place beside the driver’s door and Nick walked to the back where the bed was full of powdery snow. He started shoveling; frowning about the look Stu had given him. Judy’s father didn’t care for him that was partly understandable. What good father _wasn’t_ wary of boys his teenage daughter brought home?

 But Nick wanted Stu to like him, he didn’t need the approval of _all_ Judy’s family, but he wanted her parents to like him like her litter-mates did. By getting them to like him was like an unspoken blessing that he could be with Judy, that he could tell her who he was, that he could tell her he was in-

            “Nick?”

The fox stopped shoveling, realizing his arms were burning and his fur damp with sweat. He refocused his attention on the world around him and realized he had cleared out all the snow from the bed of the truck and was now freeing the back tires.

Judy and Stu had stopped their own work, looking at the fox with slightly frightful awe.

“When did you learn how to shovel snow like a superhero?” Judy asked jokingly.

Nick shrugged, his breath coming out in clouds thanks to the cold air. “I just…” he had kinda been all wrapped up in emotion and his thirst for approval to realize he had been shoveling snow like mad. “I wanted to get your dad’s truck free.”

 Judy sent her father a significant look before walking over and taking the shovel from the fox. “Maybe you need a break.”

“Judy’s right,” Stu broke out of his dazed state and stepped forward. “But if I knew you could shovel snow this good I would’ve asked for your help days ago.” He shook his head with a chuckle and lightly smacked Nick’s shoulder. “Thanks son.”  
            Judy led Nick back inside, only when they were inside did she notice how moist his eyes were. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Nick rubbed at his eyes and grinned at her. “I’m good.”

Stu had called him son…it had been years since someone had called him that. That one word, mixed in with the fact that her litter-mates liked him, the young bunnies trusted him for help, the babies wanted to sit in his lap and mess with his fur…it all made Nick feel like a part of the Hopps family.

 

.

 

            It was Christmas Eve, the food was cooked, the presents wrapped, and the numerous trees all across the burrow were decorated.   
Nick sat in the living room floor next to Judy, they were surrounded by little bunnies, some sitting in their laps and a couple snuggling with Nick’s tail. All eyes on the television that was playing a Christmas special, a few of Judy’s older relatives sat on the couches and chairs, some giving the fox’s back shifty looks, not liking how he sat with their children.

But Nick was too busy watching the TV, listening to the kids’ commentary, and feeling Judy’s warm fur pressed against his side. He had to think this was the best possible Christmas.

            “Hey,” he said as the special cut to a commercial. “Who wants to be in my zelfie?”

The little rabbits loudly volunteered and Judy giggled softly at their enthusiasm. Nick pulled his phone out and stretched his arm out, the bunnies crowding against him to get into the picture. Nick used his other arm to wrap around Judy’s waist and pulled her against him. She smiled along with the rest as the camera flashed.

Immediately after the bunnies scrambled across him wanting to see the picture, Judy quickly stood up and grabbed the phone from Nick before the sheer weight of the little rabbits sent him sprawling across the carpeted floor. While he laughed and insisted they were going to break his back Judy admired the zelfie.

 Nick wore such a huge smile, all his teeth showing, Judy and her family pressed up against his sides with matching grins.

Judy thought of the first few months she knew Nick, how jaded and cut off he was. He wasn’t like that anymore, he was friendly and warm, ready with a smile. The Nick she had been told was there was finally out and she liked what she saw. And now they had a picture of this moment.  

And yet looking at the fox’s shining green eyes she couldn’t help but feel a wave of déjà vu.

            Whistling drew Judy’s attention away from the phone to the doorway that led into the kitchen; her aunt Kiki received a passionate kiss from her husband Tombo, the two rabbits under the mistletoe. Judy giggled and looked around the house; she had been so caught up with helping get everything ready for Christmas that she hadn’t taken note all the mistletoe hanging from all corners of the Hopps Burrow.

 “Nick, Nick,” Judy’s little sister, Maia, pulled at the fox’s shirt. “Can you kiss me under the mistletoe?”

 The fox snickered, “Sure.” He let her lead her to the mistletoe under the threshold of the front door and he gave the little bunny a peck on the temple, Maia giggled adorably and rushed off after the kiss, her ears red. She was replaced by other Judy’s other little sisters, cousins, and nieces who all wanted a kiss from the fox.

 Judy laughed at the sight of Nick being overrun by the little girls, and then she spotted Harley at the corner of her eye. Her sister was leaning against the wall, watching Nick with a hungry look Judy recognized all too well, it was the exact look Harley always got when she found a boy she liked. And Judy had never once seen her get rejected by any of the boys she hunted.

A ferocious burning in her blood had Judy scowling at her sister before she stomped over to Nick’s side, when the fox noticed her he started a bit, and Judy was sure his ears had gone a faint red. Before he could say anything Judy reached onto her tip toes and kissed his cheek, causing the little rabbits to giggle.

“Heh,” Nick smiled, it looked uncharacteristically bashful as he placed a paw on his kissed cheek, “Heh.”

 Judy turned to look at her scowling sister, her now warm lips turning up into a smirk.

 

.

 

            “Stop laughing! I was only trying to save you from Harley.”

Judy sat in her room, both her and Nick sitting on the bed with their backs to the wall, Judy’s stuffed dolls spread across the bed.

Most of the Hopps family had already gone to sleep, some of the kids camping out by some of the Christmas trees in the hopes of seeing Santa Claws. Nick meanwhile was laughing over Judy’s obvious bout of jealously.

“I didn’t think I’d be fought over by rabbits this winter break,” he snorted.

Judy pouted and looked away, “Next time I’ll just let Harley have you then.”  
Nick shrugged and appeared to be deep in thought, “I wouldn’t be _totally_ against a kiss from Harley.”

 Judy whirled around to stare at him, her jaw dropped.

“Or Gwen or maybe even Amy.”

 “ _What_?!”  
 Nick burst into another bout of laughter, “You’re so _jealous_ , Carrots!”

“I am not!” Judy denied, “I don’t care who you kiss!”  
 “No?” Nick grinned. “So then you wouldn’t care if I spent the night in Harley’s room instead?”

 The rabbit’s ears flared red and her eyes were wide, “I-you…”

Nick guffawed again and pulled Judy into a hug, smothering her face against his chest. “Don’t worry, Carrots. _You’re my_ wilde _fire every single night_.”

Judy looked up at him in disbelief, “Did you just sing a line from a Gazelle song?”

 “Just because I don’t squeal every time she walks down the hall doesn’t mean I’m not a fan,” Nick pointed out, his chin resting atop Judy’s head. He suddenly let out a breath of air that Judy couldn’t help but feel had a tinge of melancholy to it.

 “Are you okay?”

 “Mm-hmm.”

“…Can I ask you something?”

 “Nanna specifically said no hanky panky under this roof,” he replied.

Judy groaned and shoved him away, “Not _that_! Something else.”

The fox smirked at her before straightening up, “Go ahead.”

 “Did it bother you…” she began, “When my dad called you ‘son’?”

 Nick’s smile dropped. “What makes you say that?”

“You looked like you were going to cry,” she said softly. She looked scared to ask the question.

 “No,” Nick leaned back against the wall, his eyes on the closed door. “Actually…it made me kind of happy.” His eyes moved over to look at Judy, “It’s been years since someone called me son.”

 He expected Judy to say something, maybe ask about his father again, but the rabbit stayed quiet, sitting on her knees, her paws on her lap and her ears pressed flat against her skull. Nick remembered the last time she had asked about his father and he couldn’t blame her for staying quiet.

 He smiled almost bitterly, “The last time my dad called me son was when I was ten. Four years later he was gone.”

 Judy’s eyes widened at Nick having brought up his father on his own. The fox’s eyes moved away, “He used to take me and Rick on little adventures, to the park, ice cream shop, skating ring, one time even laser tag. We had so much fun and then we’d come home to mom and dad would hug her and kiss her and tell her how much he loved her, loved all of us…”

 Judy’s eyes took on a frightful look as she saw the fox’s tears.

“I don’t know what we did wrong.” He moved so his back was to the rabbit, he didn’t want to cry in front of her. “I blamed myself a lot, actually… Tried to figure out if it was something I did. I was such a helpless kit, too scared to stand up for myself, I was born sickly, they didn’t think I made it. I sometimes wondered if my dad wished I hadn’t. I wasn’t like him or Rick, I wasn’t strong or smart…I just wasn’t that great.”

 He felt his tears, hot against his fur as they trailed down the cheeks. He shouldn’t have brought his father up, nothing ever good came when he brought his father up, and he always ended up bringing himself down when he did so, always telling himself how pathetic he was.

            He felt Judy’s arms wrap around his waist and her head pressed against his back. He tensed up, waiting for her to tell him what everyone else already had, it wasn’t his fault, good mammals sometimes just did awful things, and he had to let it go.

“Well,” she finally breathed. “ _I_ think you’re pretty great.”

Nick’s throat caved in then, and the tears flowed faster. He reached his paw up to place his fingers over her paws. What she said was the last thing he had expected to hear, but it was also the one thing he had needed to.

 

.

 

            Judy’s ears twitched as she heard the shrieking of excited rabbits and her biological clock told her the sun was just peeking up. Her eyes blinked open and Nick’s ears were the first thing she noticed. The fox’s muzzle was buried in her chest, his arms loosely wrapped around her. It was the only time they had cuddled since they had arrived at Bunnyburrow, Judy massaging the fur on his neck while Nick had closed his eyes and waited for the tears to stop, all the while Judy had whispered to him how great she thought he was every word completely honest. And then they had both fallen asleep.

            Realization that it was Christmas morning finally hit Judy and she grinned excitedly, sliding out of Nick’s arm and hovering over his head.

“Nick,” she breathed eagerly. “ _Nick_!”

 The fox’s face scrunched up adorably before he opened his eyes to look up at her, he started slightly when he saw how close Judy’s face was but then offered a tired smile, “Good morning, Carrots.”

Her grin only widened, “Merry Christmas.”

            Minutes later they had made their way up to the living room which was already crowded, gifts being handed out amongst the mob. By Nick’s expression he was trying to figure out how they managed so many presents. Judy hurried over to her parents’ side to hug them and kiss them, Nick trailed after, looking scared that he would get lost in the mass. After wishing her parents a merry Christmas she turned to Nick and him stand under a large portrait of one fourth of the Hopps family, “Stay here a minute, I’ll be right back.”

 “Carrots-” Nick began but she was already gone.

 He stood where she told him to, crossing his arms and trying to appear natural in a room full of holiday happy bunnies. And then he saw Nanna approaching him, he smiled in greeting.

 “I was looking for you,” the elderly rabbit smiled at Nick, “Here, I made this for you.” She threw an emerald scarf around the fox’s neck; one end had a red N sewed into it. Nick recognized the scarf; lots of other rabbits were wearing similar ones of different colors and all had letters embroidered into them. Nick felt like he had just been giving a privilege that only Hopps rabbits knew.

He stared down at Nanna with surprise and she was smiling at him with affection, “Merry Christmas, sweetie.”

 “Thank you,” he mumbled, running his paw over the soft fabric.

 Nanna patted his arm, “It was very nice having you.” She turned and headed off, picking up one of her grandchildren as she disappeared into the crowd.

            A few moments later Judy returned, holding a small cube shaped present in her paws. She smiled when she saw Nick’s scarf, “It looks good on you.”

“Heh,” he replied then turned his attention to the gift in her paws, “What’s that?”

“It’s for you,” she offered it to him. “I saw it in town when I went shopping with Amy and Mom and just had to buy it for you.”

 Nick blinked in surprise before taking the present, “Can I open it?”

Judy rolled her eyes good naturedly, “Of course.”

 The fox tore off open the wrapping paper and opened the little white box it had covered, he laughed when he held up what was inside: a bug with the words I heart blueberries, and sure enough the mug was full of the same blueberry suckers he had shared with Judy months ago. He grinned at her, “You know how to win a guy over.”

Judy smiled smugly, “You’re welcome. And you don’t have to worry about getting me anything.”

 “Actually,” the fox spoke up, his voice thoughtful as he looked at the rabbit, “I _do_ have something for you.” With his free paw he grabbed Judy’s wrist and led her back down to the tunnels below.

The bunny frowned as she was led back to her room, “What is it?”

“It’s in my duffle bag,” he explained a little sheepishly, “And I didn’t want any of your siblings to get jealous and try to take it.”

Judy’s ears stood erect, intrigued, “You have my attention.”  
            They made it back to the room; Nick placed the mug on the desk, and then sat on the bed before pulling the duffle bag that was resting on the floor to him. Judy sat down next to him and watched as the fox scavenged around in his bag before pulling out a thin book. He handed it to Judy who took it and read the title: “Insect Identification…you shouldn’t have?”

 Nick chuckled at her expression, “It’s from when I was a junior ranger scout. Turn to page seven.”

 Dubious, Judy obeyed; it was a page on a praying mantis, resting between the pages was a book pressed violet. “Okay? So what…” Judy’s voice trailed off. That was a violet…Nick was a fox…junior ranger scout…

He grabbed her paw then and held it to his cheek, having her fingers caress the skin, feeling something Judy placed the book on the bed and used both paws to spread his fur apart. Right there on his cheek were three claw marks that had long ago become scars. Her jaw dropped.

 Nick tried for a laugh but it came out strained, “I told you they’d be awesome scars.”

 Judy’s paws dropped, and she stared at the fox in utter shock. Nick was that junior ranger scout from all those years ago, who had saved her from that bully, who had given her his handkerchief. Suddenly all she could think about was sleeping in Nick’s bed, of crawling through vents with him, of traveling through Zootopia on their first mystery, of all his pick up lines, seeing him in nothing but a towel, kissing him in front of-

 “Oh sweet cheese and crackers I _kissed_ you!” she gaped, covering her eyes with her flushing red ears and trying to keep from letting out a mortified moan. “And you saw me wearing your old handkerchief and everything!” She pushed her ears from her face to glare at him, he looked just as flustered, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

 “I uh…wanted to tell you at the right moment?” he offered, “I only figured out on opening night of Zoosies.”

 “That’s why you kissed me?” Judy asked.

“Partly,” he admitted. “But if we are going to be completely honest I wanted to kiss you long before I knew who you were.”

 Judy swallowed, still feeling hot under her fur as she looked away from him, trying to push away her embarrassment.

            The two sat in awkward silence for several minutes, making out the muffled chatter and cheer of the rest of the burrow.

“Please say something,” Nick finally spoke in a quiet almost desperate beg.

Judy let out a humorless chortle, not looking at him, “What do you want me to say?”

From the side of her vision she saw him shrug helplessly as he tried for a smile that only ended up showing how frazzled his nerves were, “That you like me?”

Those words made Judy turn her head to face him. “I do like you,” she assured.

 “No,” Nick shook his head and when he looked at her again his face was serious. “That you _like_ , like me.”

Those words sent her heart skipping and she felt like an eight year old, awe struck by this older boy who had become her hero, Judy felt her eye lids droop, her gaze ending up on his mouth. “Do you want me to _like_ , like you?”

 Nick licked his lips before he leaned closer, his own eyes drooped and his voice coming out almost husky, “I really, really do.”

“Chapter two,” Judy suddenly said, “The crowd pleaser.”

Nick’s brow furrowed, “Huh?”

 She smirked, “And you’re part of the crowd.”

 And then they were kissing, Judy wasn’t sure who had moved first but as soon as their lips touched it didn’t matter, nothing mattered. Nick’s lips were so warm and his tongue tasted divine as he explored Judy’s mouth, his eyes squeezed shut, he held the back of her head in one paw, the other slipping under her shirt to grasp the small of her back. Judy felt a wanting moan rise up from her throat, her paws holding Nick’s jaw and pressing flush against him. She couldn’t get enough of him. She believed this moment had been a long time coming.

 Judy let Nick ease her down onto the bed, onto her back, his body a comfortable weight on top of her. After a few moments of frantic kissing Nick pulled his lips away, gasping against her muzzle before he turned his attention to her neck, his tongue slid against her throat and Judy shivered as both Nick’s paws slipped under her shirt, massaging her hips and stomach.

            “Nick,” she breathed as the fox nibbled at her neck. She pushed at his shoulders, “Slow down…please.”

The fox pulled his mouth away, his eyes dark with desire, he stared at Judy for a moment before swallowing and sitting up, “Sorry,” he mumbled his voice still thick with want. “I just got carried away.”

“Its fine,” she replied, sitting up and trying to get the wrinkles out of her shirt. “But we should probably be heading back before they eat the blueberry cobbler without us.”

 She got off the bed and headed toward the door, opening it she looked back at Nick who hadn’t moved from his seat. “Hey, ranger scout,” she offered a smile and held out her paw to him. “It’s fine.”

            But despite her words, that night Judy slept in Amy’s room.

 


	43. Chapter 43

Gazelle walked out of the building, the cold air refreshing to her hot fur and the sky above starting to twinkle with the first stars. She had walked out into a deserted alley that was mercifully quiet; she leaned against the brick wall and took in a breath. Her tour was officially over. She had just performed her last concert.

 She smiled to herself. Wade had watched it. She had felt his eyes on her from backstage as he stood with her mother and a few of the crew, watching her sing and dance on stage. She hoped he had enjoyed the show.

            Tomorrow was Christmas and she could spend all day with the wolf, hopefully she could get some energy into her tired limbs to show him around town, eat at nice places, and just see him laugh and smile. Gazelle wondered when she had become so twitterpated.

 “Excuse me,” an unfamiliar voice spoke making her look to her left. To her surprise there was a brown-furred horse wrapped up in thick winter clothing, staring at her in awe.

 “You are,” he breathed. “You _are_ , Gazelle.”

She smiled sweetly at the obvious fan, “Good evening.”

“Y-you too,” he gushed, “I-I’m Eque.”

“That’s a nice name,” she replied kindly.

 “What are you doing out in an alley?”

 Gazelle looked to the door she had just come out of, she had told Wade and the others she was going out to get some air. “Just enjoying the quiet.”

 “I like the quiet too,” Eque stated, stepping forward to stand by her. Gazelle felt an urge to take a step back but squashed it.

 “That’s nice.”  
 “My place down town is really quiet,” he insisted, “Not a lot of mammals live around there.”

 “Good for you,” Gazelle said, this time taking a step back. Upon closer inspection she could see this horse had a kind of crazed light in his eyes. Warnings her mother had planted in her brain after her very first concert screamed into her brain.

 “Want to come over?” he invited. “You must get headaches because of all these loud concerts.”

 “It’s fine, really,” Gazelle moved to head back inside and to the safety of her family and friends.

 Fear shot through her as the horse suddenly grabbed her arm between his hooves, she tried to pull away but he was too strong. She felt her throat close in and her heart pound.

 “Come on, it’ll be fun,” he insisted. “I’m such a big fan; I have all your CDs.” He chuckled, “Maybe we can sing some karaoke?”

 Gazelle’s terror rose as she continued to try and shake her arm out of his grip, “Please don’t-”

 Suddenly the door opened behind her and Eque’s delighted and crazy expression morphed into fear. Gazelle looked over her shoulder and smiled in relief when she saw Wade standing behind her, but despite the relief she couldn’t help a fearful intake of breath.

Wade stood to his full height which was taller than most wolves, his green eyes were narrowed and burned, his lips curled to reveal his sharp fangs and his fur was bristling. And for a moment Gazelle saw why mammals feared him.

            But then the horse’s grip loosened and Gazelle ripped her arm free and rushed to Wade, colliding into his chest and wrapping her arms around him, she felt the wolf place a paw on her shoulder as he spoke to Eque.

“Get out,” he growled, his voice a rumble against Gazelle’s ear.

“B-but,” the horse stuttered, “I just wanted to-”

 Wade let out a feral snarl that made even Gazelle flinch, it sounded like he was seconds away from ripping the horse apart with his bare teeth.

 “Go _away_ ,” he growled ferociously, and a moment later Gazelle heard running hoof beats as Eque dashed off.

            Wade pulled Gazelle back at arms length so he could get a look at her, his fur no longer bristled and his eyes now concerned, he was once again the wolf that had asked her to dance. “What did he do?”

“He-he just grabbed me,” she couldn’t keep the stammer from her voice. “Wanted me to go with him back to his house…” she tried a smile, “Good thing you showed up when you did.”

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice gentle.

She nodded, “I’m fine.”

 “You’re shaking.”

Gazelle hadn’t even realized it, her body shivering and she couldn’t help letting out a small frightened gasp. “That…that never happened before,” she admitted quietly. “I know all he did was grab me but nothing like that had ever happened before…”

 “Gazelle…” Wade leaned forward and pulled her back to his chest, his strong, steady heartbeat calming her stressed out nerves. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” she breathed, “You have to take the good with the bad.” She looked up at him, “Did you like the concert?”

He chuckled, “Despite it all, yeah. I did.”

“Good,” she leaned back against his chest. “I’m glad.”

 They were quiet for a moment before Wade spoke up, “Hey, I was walking today and I found this neat place. I thought it would cooler at night so I was going to go check it out. Want to come with?”

 She nodded, reaching her hoof out to take one of the wolf’s paws, “I would.”

 

.

 

            What Wade had found was a bridge, a beautiful cobblestone bridge meant for mammals to walk over to get from one side of the town’s park to another. While it wasn’t long in length it was quite wide, benches resting at the end of the railing.

 Wade had Gazelle sit on one of the benches, surprising her he unzipped his red hoodie and placed it over her shoulders. He didn’t meet her surprised gaze.

 Instead he looked out at the river under the bridge, it was large and as smooth as glass, the moon was rising in the sky now, full and fat and glowing silver across the water. It was beautiful.

 But despite its’ beauty Gazelle couldn’t help but turn her attention back to Wade. He was standing by her, watching the moon with shimmering eyes, the silver light painting across his black fur; for once Gazelle actually saw his arms that weren’t hid beneath his hoodie. They looked strong, protective, and she wished he would hold her again. But not because he was doing his job and protecting her, she wanted to hold him because he wanted her like she wanted him…

            He finally looked at her, “Nice, huh?”

“It’s great,” she replied, smiling at him. “Did you have a fun walk?”

He chortled to himself, “I may have been walking through the park…” he glanced down at her. “But you were running through my thoughts.”

Her eyes widened, the wolf surprising her yet again, but before she could ask if they were good thoughts he walked across the bridge to lean against the railing, looking up at the moon.

 And then he lifted his head and howled.

            Gazelle felt a shiver go up her spine. Just like with his music Wade’s howling wasn’t a long low drone like most. It was deep, soulful, coming from deep inside him; he wasn’t howling he was singing.

“Wade,” she breathed, not sure what she was going to say. But her words made Wade stop, he looked over at her as if he had forgotten she was there.

“Sorry,” he mumbled bashfully. “The moon the moment I just…” he fumbled with his paws as if that would give him the answer.

 “Keep going,” she insisted, staring at him with sparkling eyes.

The wolf’s ears turned red, though not because of the cold, and turned back to continue howling. Gazelle smiled as she watched him, her body warming up under the hoodie that carried Wade’s scent, a scent that was starting to become her favorite fragrance.

            Before she even know what she was doing Gazelle jumped to her feet and ran over to the wolf’s side, her hooves falling onto the railing as she lifted her head up to howl at the sky.

Wade stared at her with open surprise for a few moments, watching her imitate his howls, and then his expression slowly morphed into one of tenderness and affection and he continued his own howling, his eyes staying on Gazelle. If any other mammals were passing by at that moment they wouldn’t have believed their eyes, a wolf and a gazelle, howling what sounded like a duet.

When their voices finally dropped into silence Gazelle smiled at him, noticing how close his face was. Their eyes met and their smiles slowly dropped, Wade’s ears pressed against his skull and he looked uncertain as he leaned closer, Gazelle moving to meet him half way. But then at the last second he pulled back and turned away.

 “We should get back to the hotel,” he stated, “It’s freezing out here.”

 Gazelle blinked, a bit thrown off but nodded, “Yeah, let’s go.”

 

.

 

            Gazelle opened the door of her hotel room which she had all to herself. It was large and nice, one wall completely made of glass so she could see the city below. On a coffee table baskets of treats and other random gifts from fans sat waiting for her.

“Good night,” Wade told her, still having not retrieved his hoodie from her.

 Gazelle grabbed his arm, he didn’t flinch. “Wait. Stay with me for a while.”

The wolf’s brow knit as he looked at her.

“Come on,” she said. “We haven’t had any chance to really talk and hang out. Plus that’s a lot of candy over there for me to eat on my own.”

 The wolf looked at said gift baskets and smirked at her, “Can’t have you gaining too much weight.”

 She smiled and pulled him into the room, shutting the door behind her.

            Minutes later they shared a large chair, Gazelle practically sitting on the wolf’s lap as they enjoyed chocolate bon bons that they had realized too late had alcohol in them. But that didn’t stop Wade from finishing the box and he ended up losing his filter.

Which was what led to what happened next:

“Gazelle,” he breathed, “Can I tell you something?”

She smiled, leaning against the wolf’s shoulder, only a bit tipsy, “Of course.”

 “I’m glad that horse got scared by my growl…” Wade replied. “Cause I don’t think I could’ve beat him up.”

“What makes you say that?” she asked of him.

“I’ve never hit anyone in my whole life.”

 Those words had Gazelle lifting her head to look at him, “But-but what about…” she stopped, not sure she wanted to bring it up. She’d hate to lose his friendship when she only just got it.

But the wolf met her eyes, “What?”

 “You…I heard you used to get into fights,” she admitted painfully. “That one time you came to school covered in blood.”

“And you believed it?”

She glanced away with a guilty expression, she had thought Wade had been in fights, but she had also assumed he had good reason for it.

 “It’s okay, that’s true,” Wade continued, “But the blood? That was all mine.”

 Her attention turned back to her, her eyes wide. “What happened?” she breathed.

 Wade ran his paws over his eyes and let out a bitter laugh, if he hadn’t eaten so many of those alcoholic bon bons he never would’ve said what came out of his mouth: “My parents are fucking horrible.”

 Gazelle listened in growing horror as he continued, “Something had made my dad so angry that day, I don’t even know what it was, and he needed to beat someone and I was the only one in the room. When he was done I had to get away, I went to the school, showered all the blood off and changed into some spare clothes I always kept in my locker.” He lifted his shirt, exposing his torso, he lifted some of his fur to reveal a scar, Gazelle was sure similar scars were all over his body. She felt sick.

 “That’s awful,” she breathed, her throat tight.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “But its okay, I’d rather it be me than Jenna or Lily.”

She now understood why the two pups lived with her aunt, and why said aunt had looked so worried for him that one day when he was dropping the girls off. “Why don’t you just live with your aunt?”

 “I don’t because my parents might come for me; they’ve done it before, and try to take my sisters out of spite. They wouldn’t be able to, of course, but I want Jenna or Lily to be a part of that. I don’t want them to be miserable.”

 “But you don’t deserve to be miserable either!” she said, her voice cracking.

Wade looked at her, his expression not even remotely upset despite the fact he had to live with awful, abusive parents. “But I’m not miserable,” he stated calmly. “I’m with you.”

 Gazelle didn’t know what to say about that, she knew she should focus on his parents but she couldn’t help feeling happy at those words.

 “Gazelle,” he continued, “Please don’t tell anyone about my parents.”

“You can’t stay with them,” Gazelle insisted.

“I’m almost eighteen,” he replied. “Then I can move away and never worry about them. I can handle them for a few more months.” He took her hoof in his paw, “Promise me you won’t tell anyone.”

 She sighed in defeat; she’d have to solve this at another time. “I promise.”

He smiled at her and then laid his head on her chest, “Thank you,” he breathed. “You’re really nice.”

 “So are you,” she replied, caressing his head, “I knew it all along.”

“You wouldn’t leave me alone until you forced the niceness out of me,” he joked.

“You didn’t deserve to be alone,” Gazelle laid her head atop his own. “You deserve to be happy.”

 “You make me happy,” he told her.

She smiled, “Do I?”

 He lifted his head to look her in the eye, “Yes.”

They hadn’t turned the light on, the room in shadows except for the lights of the cityscape out the window. As always Wade’s green eyes glowed as usual and this time they mad heat pool into her stomach. She took note of how his waist was between her legs, pressing against her, one of his paws on her back.

 Gazelle out a breath that nearly came out as a shudder, “You look like you want to eat me.”

 He smiled, fondly amused, “That’s not exactly what I want.”

She tried to calm her heart as her blood flowed down her body, “What do you want then?”

 He leaned closer, “Kiss me.”

The command surprised her, showed her how far their relationship had gone, and Gazelle all too eagerly grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down onto her lips.

            The kiss was soft, pleasant, and tasted like the sweets they had consumed. She was able to easily relax into it, too happy that Wade was kissing her that was able to release the emotions she had been keeping bottled up. She found it funny; she had only wanted to be the wolf’s friend…she didn’t think she’d fall in love with him.

  _But I am_ , she thought to herself as the wolf let out a soft whimper from the kissing. _I love him_. Wade was so different from other mammals, he didn’t see her as some celebrity, he saw her as something to protect and open up to, he had been broken but was letting her help glue the pieces together. He was showing he could be sweet, funny, and even vulnerable. And she couldn’t help but feel he was changing her for the better as well.

 Gazelle felt her stomach jump as Wade’s free paw started to wander across her flesh, wasting no time in finding her center and caressing her. Gazelle let out a shivering moan against the wolf’s lips, pulling away and burying her face in her neck as he continued to touch her, her hoofs clutching his shirt tightly as her feelings escalated.

A few moments later she let out a cry of pleasure and leaned against the wolf.

            Gazelle wasn’t sure how but a few minutes later they were in her bedroom, still kissing, still touching. Wade seemed desperate for her to touch him, his face, his shoulders, his back, anywhere she’d like just as long as she did. Gazelle came to the conclusion that he was making up for lost time, making up for years of being too scared to let someone touch him. And she was all too eager to let him caress her in return, his paws warm and rough but never once did he accidentally hurt her.

 Eventually exhaustion weighed their bones down and they drifted off to sleep, Wade lying across her and Gazelle’s arms wrapped around his torso.

 

.

 

            Movement woke Gazelle up; she opened her eyes (using the red hoodie as a blanket) in time to see Wade slipping out of the bed. She quickly reached out to grab his wrist, “Wait.”

The wolf flinched and looked over his shoulder at her, his eyes showed humiliation and fear. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I just…I’ll go.”  
 “Don’t,” she got off the bed. She didn’t know if his mortification was because of their heated kissing and touching or because he admitted what his parents had done, but she did know it didn’t matter. She wrapped her arms around him, hating how his muscles tensed up. “I don’t mind,” she assured, trying to put as much reassure as possible into her voice. She smiled up at him, “You make me happy too.”

 Gradually, slowly, Wade’s muscles relaxed and he seemed to fall into Gazelle’s embrace, his paws resting on her hips.

 She smiled into his neck, her face becoming sore but she didn’t care. And then she was hit with sudden realization that made her gasp.

 “It’s Christmas!” she pulled out of Wade’s grip and headed out to the living room, looking through her bags until she found what she was looking for.

 “You got me something?” Wade asked in disbelief, falling her out of the bedroom.

 “Of course,” she replied, finding the gift and picking it up before hurrying over to him: “Ta da!”

            It was a red hoodie, new, a better fit than Wade’s current one, and the wolf could’ve sworn it had gold thread laced on the sleeves and hood. Wade stared at it for a moment as Gazelle kept speaking: “I saw this one day and thought you’d look so good in it. And I know you probably like your older one for the sentimental value but just incase it’s in the wash or you leave it at school you can use this one and…do you like it?”

 “Oh I do,” he quickly assured her upon spotting her nervous expression. “I really do it’s just…I didn’t get _you_ anything.”

She smirked, “That is a problem… I know; we’ll make a trade. I’ll give you this hoodie-and in return you kiss me whenever I please.”


	44. Chapter 44

Charlie heard the knocks on the door, her mother’s insistence that she come out right now. But the cheetah ignored them, sitting with her back against the door, her face buried against her knees. She refused to leave the room.

 Tanner had tried to kiss her.

            After her walk with Sven her parents had been keeping a sharp eye on her so she stayed close to Tanner’s side. Whenever they passed Sven he would ignore them completely and Charlie saw it for the best. That walk with him had led her heart to flutter like she was a princess coming across her charming. She couldn’t be thinking like that.

So instead she forced herself to listen to Tanner’s conversations, but even he was finally taking note she wasn’t interested in what he had to say. One day he had led her down a hallway, with no other mammals in sight he had turned to her and calmly stated that they didn’t have any common interests.

Charlie had been surprised by his sudden words but didn’t deny them, nodding instead. Tanner kept speaking, stating that their parents expected them to be closer; his father continuing to harass him that he needed to make a move. Tanner then told her he knew what to do.

 And like an idiot Charlie had asked what.

            Tanner had stepped forward, grasping her shoulders in his paws and leaning forward, his eyes closed and his lips parted. Panic had Charlie’s fur bristling and the next thing she knew the hallway echoed with the smack that cracked across Tanner’s cheek. He had released her and she had turned and dashed off before he could react. She had run back upstairs to her room, glad she wasn’t sharing it with anyone; she had slammed it close and locked it and then slid down onto the floor and burst into tears.

 She knew it was only suppose to be a harmless kiss but the fear it had caused her left her nerves on edge. She didn’t want to kiss him…she wanted to kiss Sven.

 Only in her mind could she admit that and she repeated those words over and over again as both her parents and even Tanner tried to coach her out of her room. She wanted to kiss Sven, she _wanted_ Sven, period. And she hated, absolutely _hated_ , that she couldn’t act on her emotions for the stupid reason that she was a cheetah. It was so awful.

            As the daylight darkened through her bedroom Charlie flashbacked to years ago, to when they were kids, before Sven had moved away and she had learned it was never meant to be. They had been invited to a friend’s house and somehow ended up playing spin the bottle.

 That was her and Sven’s first kiss, a silly childish peck on the lips that had left them both blushing and the other kids barking with laughter. And while Charlie refused to admit it to anyone, it had been her first and last kiss. After Sven had left she had tried dating other boys, tried dating cheetahs or at least other felines, but it didn’t work. It couldn’t work.

            Growling broke her from her depressed thoughts and it took her a moment to realize it was her stomach. She pressed her ears against the door, trying to listen for footsteps or talking. When the hallway remained silent she dared unlock her door and stepped out of the room, she was mercifully greeted by nothing at all.

 Food in mind Charlie headed downstairs, having not realized how late it had gotten, the lobby’s fireplace was down to a few burning embers, a polar bear snoring on one of the couches.

Knowing the bar held the means of making herself a midnight snack that’s exactly where she headed. But just as she made it to the doorway she heard the piano playing a Mouzart song. Charlie stopped in her steps, she hadn’t heard this song in ages, and she knew exactly who was playing.

 She stepped inside to see Sven at the piano, his hooves casually dancing across the keys. Charlie leaned against the door way and listened, something she hadn’t done in a long time. She stayed quiet, letting the music ease her nerves, and didn’t speak until the song finished.

            “Haven’t heard that one in awhile,” she spoke up.

Sven jumped, whirling around in his seat to look at her with wide eyes. His body only relaxed slightly when he saw it was her. “Finally left your room?”

Her brow furrowed, “How did you…”

He laughed softly and stood up, “You’re parents weren’t exactly quiet about the whole thing. Did you really slap Tanner in the face?”  
 She glanced away and that was all the answer the reindeer needed. He covered his mouth with his hooves to muffle his laughter, “What’d you do that for? Not that I’m scolding you or anything.”

 Charlie looked at him but ultimately couldn’t keep her eyes on him and looked down at the floor, “He tried to kiss me.”

  _That_ made Sven’s smile vanish, his eyes focused on her mouth for a moment as if he could spot traces of Tanner and then he looked up to meet her gaze. “Tried?”

 Charlie stalked off to the bar, wanting something sweet and full of calories that would give her a reason to exercise non-stop later. “What makes him think he can just kiss me out of nowhere? I don’t think he even likes me that much.”

 “I don’t think that’s it,” Sven followed her to the bar, fixing himself a cup of cocoa while she found a slice of pie in the small fridge behind said bar. She placed it on a plate and proceeded to stab a fork into it, tearing the crust and cream between her fangs, Sven watched with raised brows while he sipped from his mug.

            “So,” he began. “Your mom’s the reason you won’t go out with me.”

Charlie nearly choked on her piece of pie; she forced the piece down her throat and turned to stare at the reindeer with open shock. “Wh-What?”

Sven stared down at the marshmallows that floated in his drink, “I overheard your mom scolding you because you were with me…said we couldn’t be together because we’re different species.”

“You were eavesdropping,” she clarified, her voice scratchy from the pie that had gotten stuck in her throat, and the horror caused by Sven’s words.

 “I didn’t mean to,” he looked at her then, his ice blue eyes compassionate and upset. “I went looking for you, I was ready to force you to talk to me.”

Charlie stared at him. “ _You_ were going to _force_ me to talk to you?”

 Sven blew air through his nostrils and his expression flashed with anger, “I’m sick of it, Charlie. I’m sick of you ignoring me…and all because of what your mother thinks of us?”

 “I’m not just going to ignore what my parents say,” Charlie defended herself, “Don’t you care what _your_ parents have to say?”

“First off my parents adore you,” he began, “They would love nothing more than us getting married. Second, even if they didn’t… It wouldn’t stop me.”

 How could he be so confident of himself and his feelings? Could he really ignore the stares and sneers? Would he really not care that Charlie couldn’t give him children?

 She asked the reindeer those very questions.

 “Confident?” the reindeer echoed. “This has nothing to do with confidence? This has nothing to do with the opinions of strangers on the streets, of whether we could have kids, or what our parents think. What matters is what we think!”

  His eyes were the most intense Charlie had even seen. “Maybe it wouldn’t matter if what between was something like a little crush. But there’s so much more than that, Charlie.”

            He reached his hoof out to hold her paw but she pulled away, stepping away from the bar and wrapping her arms around herself, her appetite gone.

“You think I enjoy this?” she demanded softly. “Pushing you away and treating you awfully?”

 “If you don’t then stop,” he stated simply, stepping over to stand behind her.

“Why don’t you just find someone who actually deserves you?” she breathed.

Sven let out a frustrated breath, “Why don’t you get it through your head that I want you? Why do you spend so much time with that Tanner when you don’t like him? Why are you so obsessed with your parents’ approval?!”

 “Stop yelling,” she insisted in a hissed whisper. The last thing she wanted was her parents or Tanner to walk in-that thought made her start. All her thoughts since she got to this resort was what her parents would approve of…

 “Oh so now I can’t yell?” Sven demanded angrily, his nerves had officially snapped. “First I can’t have feelings for you or talk to you or help you and now I can’t yell? Well, guess what? I’M YELLING!!!”  
            Charlie tackled into him, knocking him onto the tile floor. She leered over him on her paws and knees and glared down at his surprised expression.

“If this was the stone age I’d have ripped your throat out,” she growled, flashing her teeth for good measure.

 He glared up at her, not in the least bit daunted, “Yet you’re the one that’s scared.”

 “Yes, you idiot,” she snarled. “I _am_ scared! I’m scared of a lot of things, some of it doesn’t even make sense. I’m scared of not getting my parents’ approval, I’m scared of what I’m going to say to Tanner, I’m scared of not being as good as I need to be in sports and school, I’m scared because I’m in love with you, I’m scared because-” she slammed her jaw shut as she realized what she just said. Sven’s eyes had widened in shock.

 And then tears dampened the reindeer’s fur as Charlie felt her emotions boil over until there was nowhere for them to go but out. She let out a shuddering breath and closed her eyes, her limbs shaking.

“I love you, Sven. Of course I do, I always have. Do you understand how _devastated_ I was when you left without saying goodbye? How happy I was when you came back? And those stupid puns, they were fantastic. I love you, I never stopped…” Charlie dug her claws into the floor. “I wish I was a reindeer, if I was then there would be no problems. I could be with you and it wouldn’t upset my parents, I could give you children and it would be the most natural thing in the world.”

 Her voice trailed off into sniffles, the only thing that filled the silence of the room, Charlie tried to summon up enough strength to get up and go back to her room.

 And then Sven spoke: “I’m glad you’re not a reindeer.”

 Charlie’s eyes popped open, her vision blurry with tears as she stared at him, “What?”

“I don’t want you to be a reindeer?”

 Charlie’s brow furrowed in confusion, “Why not?”

“Because then you wouldn’t be Charlotte Spotwood the cheetah I fell in love with.” He smiled, the grin large and bright and happy, “I fell in love with every single part of you, inside and out, and I never wanted you to change.”

            Charlie let out a shaking chuckle, shaking her head at the reindeer, “Why do you have to be so wonderful?”

He didn’t respond, only continued to smile at her. She didn’t understand how his eyes that were the color of ice, could look so warm.

Said eyes widened as suddenly Charlie leaned down and pushed their lips together. A moment later his eyes drifted shut and he held her close as the kissing grew more fevered and passionate, small moans escaping both of them, and the cheetah could feel Sven shaking beneath her.  She clutched his face between her paws, tears still sliding between her closed eyes as a burst of sunlight sent her heart racing.

 Yes, Charlie was a cheetah, yes Sven was a reindeer, but them together, kissing, holding each other, it was the most natural thing in the world, and neither her parents or society or nature itself could tell them otherwise.


	45. Chapter 45

_As a lamb Dawn’s mother owned a dress shop, before the attack, where her mother spent so much time making beautiful dresses for all kinds of customers. Dresses for weddings, dances, beauty pageants, and Dawn loved to walk through the store, surrounded by lace and ribbons and beautiful colors. It always felt like she was walking through a fairy tale._

_There was one day that Dawn remembered the most. She was sitting in the back room with her mother as she finished up final touches for a beautiful wedding dress for a lioness, Dawn sitting on a pedestal, her feet waving to and fro._

_“Could you make me a pretty dress like that, Mama?” Dawn asked excitedly, her green eyes sparkling._

_“Not right now,” her mother said, her face beautiful as she smiled warmly at her daughter. “I have a lot of dresses I need to finish in only a few months.”_

_Dawn’s ears drooped and her eyes looked down at her feet in dejection._

_“But tell you what,” her mother said, standing up and looking over her work. “When you get married I’ll make you a beautiful wedding dress, okay?”_

_Dawn smiled up at her mother, her disappointment blown away like a leave in wind. “Okay!”_

_That had been a few months before the attack that left her mother hideously scarred, made her have to sell her shop because no one wanted to buy from such a frightful looking sheep. Her mother spent all her time inside and Dawn grew up and came to the conclusion that no boy would ever want to marry her._

_The promise was forgotten soon after._

.

 

            Small paws batting at her cheeks woke Dawn up, she swatted them away and let out a yawn. Blinking her eyes open she saw three furry faces looking down at her.

“AH!” she yelped, bolting upright, a hoof clasped over her pounding heart.

  Lizzy, Leonardo, and Louisa had crawled onto the guest bed Dawn had claimed as her own. Ever since she had first came the two cubs were obsessed with her. On the bright side today was Christmas Eve and she would be leaving tonight for home so she could spend Christmas Day with her parents.

 “What are you three doing?” she groggily rubbed her eyes. “The sun’s barely up.”  
 “We’re going on a mission and we came to invite you,” Leonardo stated, his tail waving to and fro in excitement.

 “No thanks,” she yawned before lying back down, smothering herself in the giant, lion-sized pillow.  “I think I’ll sleep instead.”  
 “Oh, come on Dawn,” Louisa grabbed the sheep’s arm and roughly pulled her out from under the blanket. “We little guys have to stick together.”

            Dawn let out a groan as she was pulled off the bed and out of the room. The mansion was quiet, all the adults sleeping as the cubs led her to the attic of all places.

“We have to be quiet,” Lizzy whispered to the sheep as they climbed up the steps into the dusty loft. “We’re not supposed to be up here.”  
 “Then why _are_ we?” she demanded.

 “Because it’s an adventure,” Leonardo declared.

            The attic was full of boxes of tea sets, portraits, fragile vases, books, and much more. It was practically a museum.

Dawn walked around idly while the cubs snooped through the boxes, making disappointed murmurs that there were no neat things like toys. Dawn made her way to the back of the attic and her jaw dropped when she saw what stood there.

It was a wedding dress, held up by a dress rack, ivory and cream covered in laces and ribbons and cloth roses. She would recognize this dress anywhere.

 It was one her mother had made.

The cubs walked up to Dawn, looking at the dress then to the sheep whose eyes were now glassy. “This was Aunt Christine’s wedding dress,” Lizzy spoke up. “It was given to her by Grandma back when she was alive.”

Dawn tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. Seeing this dress brought back too many bittersweet memories…and that promise made years ago.

            “What are you four doing up here?”

The cubs yelped and tried to hide behind Dawn as Lucy walked into the attic, looking down at the four with paws on her hips.

 Dawn matched her posture and refused to be daunted by the lioness, “Lucy.”  
She smirked, “Dawn.” Her eyes looked toward the dress, “You like it?”

 “Of course,” the sheep replied. “…It’s one of my mother’s designs.”

The lioness looked surprised by her words, she looked toward the dress then down at the sheep. “Is that so?”

 “Yes,” Dawn answered before walking past her to head back downstairs, the cubs followed after her.

            Downstairs Dawn found Leodore talking to his father, she kept her distance while the cubs ran off to the living room where Sarafina was turning on the TV.

Dawn stayed at the bottom of the stairs, wanting to talk to Leodore but not wanting to get in his father’s way. Going on and on about how much the school council relied on Leodore was getting both him and her on better terms with Mr. Lionheart. In fact Dawn was managing to charm all of his relatives. She wasn’t really sure why she did it, she didn’t care what the lions thought of her. But she couldn’t help but naturally want Leodore’s family to like _her_.

 Footsteps behind her had Dawn looking over her shoulder to see Lucy walking past her, a knowing smirk on the lioness’s lips. “Pred-chaser,” she teased before walking off to the kitchen. Dawn scowled after her, her ears flaring red.

Now consciously aware she was standing around waiting for Leodore like a love sick pup she stomped off to the living room. There the cubs, Sarafina, and Alex were sprawled out on the couch, watching some horror movie. An odd thing to be watching first thing in the morning but Dawn wouldn’t say anything.

 Alex noticed her and smiled invitingly, besides the cubs Alex was the only one who seemed to sincerely like the sheep. “Wanna watch TV, Wooly?”

 She smiled politely, “Okay.” She crawled up onto the couch and started to watch the movie.

That had been a mistake.

            The killer was a lion, rabid and feral and out for blood. For a few minutes the movie focused on the wolf detective following clues and figured out the back story behind the movie. For a few minutes Dawn could appreciate the suspense of the movie. And then she witnessed the lion getting its second victim. It was a pig who let out awful, agonizing squeals of pain and terror as the lion tore his claws through flesh, his fangs ripping at the pig’s throat and face. Blood was everywhere.

 “Gross!” Leonardo laughed while Lizzy and Louisa covered their paws in fright.

Alex snorted in distaste, “That’s the fakest blood I’ve ever seen. I swear, Sarafina Hollywool isn’t even trying anymore. What do you think, Wooly?”  

 But Dawn was already sliding off the couch and rushing out of the room, nearly crashing into Leodore and his father as they jumped back in surprise. “Dawn?” Leodore called but the sheep was already pushing out the front door and running and running and running.

            Exhaustion forced her to stop not too far from a park and throw up into some nearby bushes. When her stomach was finally empty she fell to her knees and burst into tears.

She had thought she was over it, it had been years ago. But now all she could hear was the snarls of that awful jackal, her mother’s screams of pain as she begged Dawn to run away. But the lamb hadn’t been able to, her shaky legs rooted to the ground as she watched the jackal’s teeth tear into her mother’s face…there had been so much blood.

            A paw landed on her shoulder and Dawn cried out before slapping it away. Whirling around she saw it was Leodore, kneeling before her and looking at her with open concern. “What happened?” he asked quietly.

 “Th-that movie…” Dawn sobbed, and shook her head, trying to shake away those awful images.

“Ah,” the lion spoke in understanding. “I see. I’m sorry.” He reached his paw out again but Dawn flinched, Leodore dropped his paw.

 “I’m sorry,” she moaned, feeling guilt along with fear twist up her gut. “I’m sorry I just…” She buried her face into her hooves and continued to sob, her small shoulders shaking as tears leaked out of her closed eyes like a pair of waterfalls.

“It’s okay,” he breathed, his deep voice gentle. “I understand.”

            The lion looked around, noticing a bench he spoke, “How about we sit over there? Beats sitting in the dirt.”

Dawn nodded and followed him to the bench, climbing up to sit on it. Despite his words Leodore sat on the ground, his back against the bench’s seat and his eyes level with hers. “It’ll be okay,” he murmured softly.

“I promised myself I wouldn’t keep crying over it,” Dawn sniffled, rubbing at her eyes but the tears kept coming. “But it’s so hard, it was so _awful_. My mother didn’t deserve that! And he-he almost _killed_ her!”

Leodore only nodded, knowing any words of sympathy were going to come up empty. He looked out at the park, noticing a playground where some kids were playing. He took note of a playground where an armadillo and giraffe were building a sand fort.

He smiled at Dawn, “Remember when we first met?”

The sheep looked at him, “Yeah?”

 “I couldn’t get over how you could’ve been scared of a scrawny little runt like me.”

Dawn offered a watery smile, “I was just pitying you.”

 He chuckled, “Yeah, I bet. But it made me happy.” His smile drifted down and he looked up at her seriously, “I really can’t get over how lucky I was to meet you.”

Dawn’s ears flushed and her smile grew, “I’m lucky to.” She let out a shuddering breath before burying herself against his mane. “I don’t know where I’d be if we hadn’t met.”

“Me neither,” Leodore breathed, feeling the sheep shivering against him. He reached out and daintily trailed his paw down her arm, when the sheep didn’t flinched he moved his paw to rub her back.

 

.

 

            When Leodore finally took Dawn back she got a few concerned looks from his relatives but none, not even the cubs, pressed her. To that she was grateful.

Leodore told her to go upstairs to relax and he bring her some honeyed milk, an old favorite from when they were kids. Dawn smiled gratefully at him and headed upstairs, but she was stopped halfway by Lucy of all lions.

She was leaning against the wall, looking like she had been waiting for Dawn. The sheep didn’t speak for her, passing her to make her way to the guest room. But Lucy’s words stopped her in her tracks: “So your mom got attacked by a jackal?”

Dawn whirled around to stare at her in horror, “How did you…?”

 “You said your mom made you that dress, I asked Christine about it and she said yes. Then she told me that your mom didn’t make dresses anymore because she had gotten attacked.”

 “It was too much for her,” Dawn defended. “She couldn’t stand all the looks she got.”

“I see… I’m sorry.”

The sheep stared up at the lioness in surprise. Lucy glanced down at her, her expression unreadable, “I’ve been feared like that, even if I don’t deserve it. And I admire the fact that, despite that, you’re still madly in love with my brother whose a lion.”  
 Dawn’s skin flushed, “I-I’m not in love with him!”

Lucy smirked, “I’m trying to be nice, at least you can do is be honest.” Her eyes suddenly lit up with an idea, “I wonder…”

“Wonder what?”

 “Let’s go look at that dress.”

            Before Dawn could reply she was led back up to the attic and before her mother’s dress. “What are we…” She tensed up when Lucy pulled the dress off the rack. And the next thing she knew Lucy was throwing the dress over Dawn’s head, the sheep stared down in surprised at the too large dress that draped across her shoulders and the wooden floor. “Why did you do that?”

“If it was my mom’s dress I’d want to wear it,” Lucy replied, her eyes dark with faraway thoughts that she wouldn’t be sharing. The lioness looked around the room and spotted a mirror, “Check you out.”

 Not sure why she was going along with this Dawn walked over to the mirror and stared at her reflection. Her eyes widened, despite the size she couldn’t help but feel that the color matched her perfectly, and it felt so silky and smooth against her skin. And she was a little lamb in her mother’s dress shop, that promise singing through her ears.

  _Mama_ , Dawn thought to herself as she continued to stare at her reflection, _If you still made dresses…and if there was a one and a million chance that a boy actually wanted to marry me…I’d hold you to your promise, and have you make my wedding dress_.

            “Lucy, what are you doing in here?”

Dawn looked over her shoulder to see Leodore walking in, carrying two steaming mugs of honeyed milk.  He looked to Dawn and his narrowed eyes widened, his jaw becoming slack. “Dawn…” he began, the sheep now feeling hot under her wool. She was ready to hide in one of the attic’s boxes when the three cubs suddenly appeared in the attic, running past Leodore and ending up knocking the older lion down. They crowded Dawn while Leodore spilled the honeyed milk over his shirt as he caught his balance.

 “Hey,” he snapped. But the cubs were too busy gushing over how pretty Dawn was. The sheep smiling uncomfortably and her ears bright red.

            Lucy walked over to her brother who was examining his drenched shirt, she smirked at him, “It looked like your heart had skipped a beat, brother.”

Leodore scowled at her, “Did you put that on her?”

“I did,” the lioness replied. “And don’t even try to deny that you’re against this.”

 Leodore turned away, his eyes flashing with embarrassment. “I need to change.” He stomped out of the attic, Lucy biting her lip to keep from laughing.

            Seeing her friend go Dawn quickly pulled the dress off, the cubs complaining while Lucy helped her put it back on the rack and straighten out its wrinkles.

“Excuse me,” she told the four before heading out of the room. She scurried to Leodore’s room that was closed. She didn’t even think anything of it in walking in and thanks to that she spotted a shirtless Leodore looking through a drawer for a clean shirt, his used one crumpled on the floor.

He glanced over when he heard the door open and close to see Dawn staring at him with bulging eyes. “Oh, hey,” he replied then started when the sheep let out a squeak.

“ _Put some clothes on_!” she hissed, covered her eyes, looking like she’d expire from embarrassment.

“Oh, calm down,” he rolled his eyes. “I just took off my shirt… What were you doing wearing that dress?”

 “I hadn’t wanted to,” Dawn explained, still covering her eyes. “Lucy put it on me before I could say anything… I know it looked silly please don’t tell anyone.”

“It didn’t look silly…” Leodore replied quietly. He said something else but his voice was too soft for Dawn to catch.

 Dawn peeked between her hooves to see Leodore’s chest was still bare and she swallowed, “Please put a shirt on already.”

 The lion snorted before walking over to kneel before her, “You barged into my room Lamb. And if memory serves correctly it’s not like you were too embarrassed to hang all over me in the park.”

 Dawn’s eyes popped open to look at him indignantly. “I was not!” She then glanced away with her ears red. “At least not…all over.”

The lion looked at the wool atop her head, “You have some lint in your wool.” He reached his paw out to pluck it out, Dawn’s eyes slamming shut again, her entire body tensed up. Once the lint was gone Leodore found his paw trailing down to hold Dawn’s chin, the sheep still not opening her eyes.

The lion leaned down, closer to her, his eyes drifting shut and his lips parted and a whisker away from Dawn’s own.

            And then the door opened, slamming against Leodore’s head and knocking the sheep into his chest.

 Lucy poked her head in, “I hope you don’t expect me to clean up that spilled milk in the attic-” She noticed Leodore rubbing his head, his face twisted in pain, Dawn placed her hoof over her nose and not looking like she knew what had just happened.

“Oops,” Lucy spoke unapologetically, “Did I do that?”

 

.

 

            Leodore was sprawled across his bed, downstairs he could heard the loud commotion of his relatives as they celebrated Christmas Eve.

Dawn had already left, wishing him and his family a good Christmas before she headed home. She and Leodore had already exchanged gifts.

He had given the sheep an expensive bell to wear around her neck, Dawn had liked it much more than the lion had anticipated.

She in turn had given him a red thermos cup, what made it special was that it had the words Lionfart on it. He had laughed and thanked her, promising he’d use it despite his hate of the nickname.

            He held the thermos in his paw now, studying it, imaging what had gone through Dawn’s head when she got it for him. He didn’t know if she had gotten it pre or post their falling out. If pre she probably had gotten it as a gag gift. If post then it was probably a gift of spite.

Leodore didn’t care, he loved it.

And he was starting to realize that wasn’t the only thing he loved.

            The cup fell onto his bed as the lion grabbed a pillow and smothered it against his face. He had tried to kiss Dawn. _He had tried to kiss Dawn!_ And she hadn’t even realized.

His entire body fell hot with mortification as his feelings he had misunderstood as friendship were finally seen for what they were: Romantic.

“I wanna forget,” he moaned into the pillow. “I wanna forget, I wanna forget, I wanna forget!”

 


	46. Chapter 46

            _“Rick, I wanna go home. My feet hurt.”_

_The older fox looked down at his kit brother, Nick pouting and had stopped walking, the two stood in the middle of the sidewalk after coming back from the park and library. Rick tried to smile excitedly, “Come on, isn’t there anywhere else you want to go? I have some money, how about the ice cream shop?” He couldn’t take his brother home yet._

_“I’m not hungry,” Nick replied. “And I bet Mom and Dad are missing us.”  
Rick doubted their father had even noticed they were gone, the bitter thought had dropped his smile and he forced it back into place. “I’m sure they won’t mind if we stay out a little longer. I know, let’s go visit Finnick’s house, he told me he bought that new scary movie.” Rick wiggled his fingers in a creeping manner with a teasing smile, he knew the kit liked horror films but wasn’t allowed to watch them at home._

_“Well…” Nick said slowly, contemplating. “I_ guess _. But you’re going to have to carry me.”_

_Rick rolled his eyes but was secretly relieved, “Alright, lazy bones.” He turned around and crouched to let his little brother climb onto his back, when Nick’s arms were wrapped around his neck Rick stood up and headed to the fennec’s house. Hopefully by the time the movie was over his parents would be done fighting. He had dragged Nick out to the park when their voices had started to rise in volume, but he didn’t blame his mother for getting upset._

_Rick’s stomach twisted in anger and disgust and disappointment. He had seen his father with that vixen who wasn’t his mother, had seen him_ kiss _that vixen who wasn’t his mother. She had found out too and was furious, but Nick didn’t know and Rick didn’t want him to find out._

_Their mother’s heart was already broken, Rick’s heart was already broken, there was no need for Nick’s to join the mess._

.

 

            “Oh, your birthday’s tomorrow?”  
Rick sat on Morris’s bed, trying to draw out the character Ringmaster from The Evening Society, the cub already on his third drawing, his artistic skills much better than the fox’s.

“Yeah,” the polar bear pouted.

Rick cocked an eyebrow, “You don’t sound too excited.”

“Because tomorrow’s Christmas,” the cub moaned. “Everyone will be too busy celebrating that to remember it’s my birthday.”

“I’ll remember,” Rick promised. “I’m sure your parents will too, and May.” A light bulb flicked on in his brain and he smiled, “Hey, you know how they’re hosting a Christmas party tonight? We can make it your birthday party too.”  
 Morris titled his head to the side, “We can?”

Rick nodded earnestly, “Yeah, get a cake, some streamers, it’ll be easy.”  
The polar bear smiled happily as the nurse walked in. Rick placed his drawing down, “Okay, you be good for the nurse. I got some party planning to do.” He winked at the cub before walking out of the room to find his fellow interns.

            Ever since he had first met Morris it was like Rick had passed some sort of unspoken test. May now approved of him which apparently meant that Bucky and Prong did as well. They had started inviting him to lunch and after work drinks. Bucky and Prong proved to be chatter boxes who always ended up disagreeing over something. May on the other hand always seemed so calm and collected with a pleasant smile in place. It was like nothing ever get to here and Rick couldn’t help but feel envious. This winter break, while educational, had been exhausting and a part of him couldn’t wait until they day after Christmas and he would go back home. Though another part was reluctant to leave behind Morris…and, if he was being honest with himself, May. It was refreshing to have someone who didn’t go to St. Zoo, who didn’t expect him to be a put together and intellectual senior like everyone else in his life.

He found the three in the cafeteria, Bucky and Prong yelling at each other as usual while May sat between them, serenely sipping from a straw as she drank glass of soda. She spotted Rick at the door and smiled brightly which caught the fox off guard. But he hurried over to the three with a smile, “I got an idea.”

 

.

 

            The three had happily agreed to Rick’s idea to throw a birthday party for Morris, being just as fond as the polar bear cub as Rick was. Turns out Prong was a baker and so he and Bucky headed home early to make a birthday cake, leaving Rick and May to head out to town to buy party supplies.

Rick thinking aloud of the activities they could get for the kids, even mentioning a few of his and Nick’s earlier birthdays and the fiascos they got themselves into. All the while May listened quietly, her expression the pleasant neutrality that Rick was learning was her usual expression.

 “What’s one of your favorite birthdays?” he asked as they made it to the mall that was full of late holiday shoppers. He and May made it to the store that sold party supplies.

“I’m gonna say my eighth birthday,” the pig finally answered as they walked down the aisle, picking out streamers and party hats. “My grandma hired a bear clown and me and the other kids attacked him. That was funny.”  
 Rick snickered, “We never had clowns. My brother was always terrified of them.”

May examined some balloons, “But not you?”

“Nope,” Rick picked out a few he imagined Morris would like. “I was a pretty hardcore kit. You wouldn’t have recognized me.”

May glanced at him with a smirk, “Foxy, are you telling me you used to be a bad boy?”

 He shrugged nonchalantly, “Yeah.”  
“I don’t believe you,” she replied with a shake of her head and a smile still in place. They purchased the party favors and headed out the store. “How about we get some drinks for the party?”

 Rick nodded, “I saw a convenience store not too far from my motel. Let’s go.”    

            They left the party supplies in Rick’s motel room, May pointing out that this was a really crummy motel before heading out to said convenience store to buy some two liters of sodas. Rick examined the shelf of drinks, trying to remember if Morris had ever told him his favorite flavor.

As he and May looked a fox kit suddenly ran past, knocking into Rick by accident. “Whoop,” he said, catching himself as the kit looked up at him with surprise and fear. He smiled with assurance, “It’s okay? You alright?”

The kit smiled up at him, her blue eyes shining, “Uh-huh.”

 “Come here, Millie,” a feminine voice spoke.

The kit waved goodbye to Rick who waved back as she walked around him and headed down the aisle. “Cute kit,” May said as they watched her go.

            Millie stopped before a vixen who had to be her mother; Rick thought the vixen looked vaguely familiar as she patted her daughter’s head. Another kit appeared out of the candy aisle, a boy who looked similar enough to his sister that they had to be twins.

 After the boy came an adult fox, Rick’s heart dropped to his feet. He watched as the fox held the male kit’s paw, walking him over to his mother and sister, Rick watched the fox smile at the kits, _his_ kits, before placing a kiss on the vixen’s lips.

Rick let out a shuddering breath, feeling like he was going to be sick as, after nearly five years, he saw his father.

 Max Wilde smiling lovingly at the vixen that wasn’t Amelia, at the two kits that weren’t Nick and Rick. Anger boiled up inside him so fierce he had to clench his fists and dig his nails into the tile floor to keep from running over and hitting his father-no, _Max_ -right in the jaw. Rick wasn’t sure he would’ve been able to stop.

 “You don’t see many red foxes around,” May commented from behind him, still watching the family. “You were the first one I’ve seen in…Rick?” She finally noticed his expression, “What’s wrong?”

 Max must have heard her speak because he finally turned away from his _new_ family and his eyes met Rick. He hated how much they looked alike. Max’s eyes widened in shock but by then Rick had turned around and was walking out the store.

 “Wait,” May hurried after him. “Rick, wait!”

            As soon as Rick passed the convenience store’s doors he bolted, running and running and wanting to go far back into the past where this bad stuff hadn’t even been a possibility.

 Finally a stitch in his side forced him to slow down and Rick placed his paw on the brick wall of some random building, leaving the store far behind. But not May.

“Rick,” she panted, catching up to him. She leaned her hooves against her knees as she struggled to put oxygen in her lungs. “What the hell was that?”

 Rick suddenly kicked the wall, so hard pain shot up his leg but he welcomed it compared to the agony in his chest. With revulsion he realized his eyes were welling up with tears. From the corner of his vision he saw May looked at him with open concern, and he turned his back on her, wrapping his arms around himself. He was shaking.

“I don’t care anymore,” he breathed then repeated those words, his voice going thick with hysteria until he sure he sounded like a mad fox. “I don’t care anymore I don’t care anymore I don’t care I don’t care I don’t care I don’t I don’t I _don’t_!!!”

 “Rick…” May breathed, stepping closer but with caution, as if she was afraid he was about to break. She was right to fear. “What happened?”

 “That was my _father_ ,” he growled, his streaming eyes staring at his throbbing foot. “My _father_ who cheated on his wife-I knew that, I saw that! But I didn’t think…I thought it was a one night stand!” He turned around to look at May, not registering the understanding expression she already wore. “I didn’t think he actually _got her pregnant_ and then he goes and raises _her kits_!” Rick ran his claws through the fur on his scalp, his claws scraping painfully against his flesh. “He abandoned us to fend for ourselves while he went and raised _her_ kits!”  
 “Rick…”

“But I don’t care,” the fox quickly insisted. “We don’t need him; I don’t care what he does. He stopped being my father the day he left. I don’t care what we did wrong.” He repeated the lie for a few more moments, May standing quickly before him. When he finally dwindled into hiccupping sobs she spoke: “You wanna know what you’re doing wrong, Rick?”

 He looked up at her, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“You’re crying over him,” she stated. “And it’s nothing something he deserves.”

She reached her hoof out and took his paw, “Let me show you something.” She pulled Rick after him, the fox having no choice but to walk after her. All the while he tried wiping his tears away, tried to forget what he had just seen, tried to convince himself he didn’t care that some random vixen and those kits were more important to Max than his old family was.

            May led him to a dome shaped building, when Rick saw the sign beside it he scowled in confusion, “The Space Auditorium?”

“Just come on,” she ordered in a no nonsense tone, her grip on Rick’s paw unrelenting. They walked inside to see an opossum standing behind a counter, absent-mindly flipping through her phone. She smiled when she noticed the two, “Hey, May. Perfect timing, the next show’s about to start.” She smirked knowingly at Rick, “Got another one already I see.”

 “Not now, Opal,” May said before passing the counter and walking through a door that read A-D.

 They stepped inside a large, oval shaped auditorium. Below them were three floors full of comfortable looking leather seats, only a few seats were taken. Lights on the wall dimly illuminated the room as May led him to the bottom floor where no seats had been taken. She forced Rick onto a seat before sitting down next to him.

The seats were made so Rick could easily lean back, May did so and the fox, still having no idea what was going on, followed suite. He was then looking up at a large black ceiling.

 “What-” he began but May shushed him.

“Wait for it.”

            A moment later the lights flickered off, and for a swift second they were plunged into darkness. And then up above the ceiling lit up, and Rick realized he was looking into a sky full of stars. His eyes widened at the amazing sight, he felt like he was deep in space, it left him breathless.

 “Makes you feel kinda small, huh?” May said, smiling up at the ceiling, her eyes glimmering with the star light. “It makes life’s problems feel so inferior when we’re so small.”

Nick blinked and glanced over at the pig. “Why’d you bring me here?”

“There’s only so many things worth shedding tears over,” she stated. “And a fox that abandoned you is not one of them.” She pulled her eyes away from the stars to fix him in a serious stare. “Don’t waste anything on him, Rick.”

 The fox released a shuddering breath, “I wish it was that easy…”

“It’s not,” she agreed. “But I hate that I wasted tears over my own parents.”

Rick looked at her, wanting to ask what she meant by that but not wanting to be rude when she was trying to help him feel better.

 But May must have sensed his curiosity, “My dad left too. Only thing is he left before I was born, I’m not even sure if he knew my mom was pregnant. As for her…she uh…” May trailed off then pointed to her head, “She couldn’t handle it.”  
 Rick gave her a pained expression, “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m not,” May replied calmly. “If they didn’t want to be my parents then I don’t want to be their daughter. I don’t regret being raised by my grandparents, in fact I prefer it.” She smiled at Rick, even despite their grim topic she managed to smile. “My grandmother was a wet nurse, and she’d take me when she went to deliver a baby since my grandpa was busy tending to the farm. After a while I started helping her, if only to distract the mother’s other kids or help clean and feed it. That’s why I’m a hospital intern now.”

 “That’s nice,” he replied quietly, “I’ve always just wanted to help mammals.”  
 “That’s because you’re a good guy,” May said then looked at him with her crinkled in a guilty fashion. “Sorry about how I acted when we first met.”

“You _were_ pretty awful,” he agreed, his smile taking the sting from the words. “But if Morris likes you, you can’t be that bad.”  
 “That’s exactly what I thought,” she chuckled. “And believe me the cub _adores_ you. It’s really nice what you’re doing for him.”

“You watch me, May Swinton,” he lifted a paw and pointed at her. “I’m going to make a difference even if it kills me.”

            The two sat in silence for minutes, Rick staring up at the stars. He let the last of his tears slip away; he let the anger and grief slowly slip out of him with each breath. He felt May reach for his paw and give him a comforting pat. “You shouldn’t hold that in all the time,” she replied. “All that anger, it’s not healthy.”  
 “You just told me not to waste tears on my father.”  
  “Not him, that bunny. Her, school, your mom and brother, anything that makes you upset. You can’t hold all that in all the time, it’s not up to you to shoulder all that mess by yourself.”

Rick straightened up to look at her, “How do you do that? It’s like you glance at someone and suddenly know their life story.”

“I’ve always been observant,” she replied simply. “And you…I get you. I used to be like that, put everything on myself.” She spread her arms out indicating to the stars above them. “And then I remembered how big everything was and I was like-nope.”  
Rick chuckled softly and smiled softly at her, “Thank you, May.”

She smiled back but didn’t keep eye contact for long, looking away in an almost bashful manner. “Don’t mention it.”

 “I’m feeling better now,” he said, standing up. “Let’s go, we have a party to plan.”

 

.

 

            Hours later the Christmas party/Morris’ birthday was about to get underway. All the decorations were set, a tree standing in a corner of the room, a table held all the drinks and treats along with the cake Prong had made, Rick had been surprised by how professional it looked-snowy white frosty and white chocolate snow flakes decorated it and made it look like it sparkled.

 Rick stood in the middle of the room which was a kind of relaxation room for the patients to read and what have you. Some kids were already there, running around and trying to swipe an early treat, excited for the party. But Rick was waiting for a specific patient.

 He smiled when Morris came into the room, pulled in a wheelchair but his massive father, Kozlov. On the back of the wheelchair was an oxygen tank, attached to it was a tube that led to a transparent muzzle mask that covered Morris’s mouth so the cub could breath.

 He smiled when he saw Rick and the fox returned the grin, his father placed the wheelchair next to the cake and Rick kneeled down before the cub, “Happy birthday, Morris.”

 Morris laughed excitedly, “Thanks, Rick. This is so awesome!” He looked toward the cake and he could’ve sworn he saw the cub’s mouth water.

            Rick stood up and looked around, his smile widening when he saw May, along with Prong and Bucky walking into the room, carrying bundles of wrapped presents that they placed under the tree. All except one which May broke over to place on Morris’ lap. “This is from all of us,” she told the cub, smiling sweetly at him.

Morris opened it with glee and cried out in excitement when he saw a sketch pad, crayons, and a book by Franklin Bearstain. Rick’s ears pricked up as he read the title: _The Lonely Faux_. That wasn’t a book he had read before.

 “Thank you, May,” Morris grinned up at the pig.  
 “No problem, sweetie,” May replied. “But that’s my own personal copy of _The Lonely Faux_ so you better take good care of it.”

“I will, I promise,” he swore.

            The party went officially underway after that, lively Christmas music was played. Nurses and patients danced, a few more presents were open. Even though Morris was confined to his wheelchair he had plenty of fun chatting with the other patients who even wished him a happy birthday. The cub invited everyone to enjoy his cake with him.

Rick sat at the table, enjoying a slice of said cake while he watched Bucky and Prong dance with each other, for once not wanting to scream at each other.

 He tapped his foot to the bouncy beat while Morris and May clapped their paws to the music. Suddenly the bear urged May to lean down and he whispered in the pig’s ear. Rick noticed how May’s skin flushed with embarrassment, she glanced at the fox with an unsure expression (which was a first in his experience with her), before letting out a sigh, giving Morris a pained look and then walking over to the fox.

            “He wants us to dance,” May mumbled, looking uncharacteristically bashful.  

Rick’s eyes widened and he looked to the polar bear who waved back with a cheeky grin. He turned back to May, “Why?”

She shrugged helplessly, “Who can understand the mind of crazy kids.”

  “I have absolutely no idea,” he smiled and offered his paw as the next song came on. May shed away her shyness and offered a teasing smirk, she placed her hoof in Rick’s paw and he pulled her closer, the two nose to nose for a second before May pulled away and grabbed both his paws, pulling him to the dance floor. Rick then easily pulled her back into his arms and the two swayed around the room, their dancing much more fast-paced than usual ballroom dancing.

 Rick flashed his teeth in a teasing grin and May chuckled at him as they moved around the room, Morris cheering them on while Bucky and Prong catcalled them.

            When the music finally stopped Rick wasn’t desperate to pull away from May, smiling down at her for a moment. She looked up above his head and her eyes widened in surprise. Rick followed her gaze to see a mistletoe hanging above their heads, he gulped.

But then May laughed and brought one of Rick’s paws to her lips, placing a chaste kiss against his knuckles.

“Don’t worry,” she teased up at him, her cheeks flushed with color. “I think it’s charming you’re so obviously a prude.”

 


	47. Chapter 47

It wasn’t until New Year’s Eve that Nick got a chance to talk to Judy. Not necessarily because she was avoiding him (though he felt like she was), but because he was always get sidetracked by the Hopps family.

That first night he had Judy’s room to himself he didn’t go to Amy’s room and tried to talk to her. He could understand her wanting to get some space from him, he had practically eaten her when they were making out. A part of him bitterly wondered if she had actually thought he would.

The next morning he walked out into the tunnels for the sole purpose of hunting her down. Fred and George found him first. They had dragged him to their room to show off all the joke books and pranks they had gotten for Christmas. Nick could admit some of them were wittingly clever.

 When he finally left their room he got kidnapped by some of the younger bunnies and forced him to go outside to play on the sleighs with him. As Nick was dragged away he had spotted a flash of Judy down one hallway, talking with Amy, but then he was being pulled away.

            It was like that for a few days, he’d hang out with the infants and Gwen, hide from Harley, have polite conversations with Amy that always left him wondering if Judy had told her they had kissed, or he’d be volunteered to help outside or in the laundry room. He would only see glimpses of Judy, and the few times she met his eyes she would quickly look away. It made Nick’s stomach turn. He had finally told her, he had kissed her, but he had moved too fast and it looked like he had lost the bunny forever.

            But then finally, _finally_ , his chance came. The Hopps family all piled out of the house minus a few of the older ones who couldn’t handle the cold like they used to, all dressed in thick winter clothes and carrying blankets to make pallets on the snow. Awaiting for the New Year’s fireworks. Nick walked out in his trademark leather jacket and a blanket in his paws. He looked around the snowy field, trying to catch sight of Judy. His ears drooped when he couldn’t find her but then Amy passed him, “She’s down by the pond.” Nick stared at her in surprise as the rabbit walked off to join her mother and a few of the babies. Then his eyes trailed down the hill where he could make out the iced over pond.

            Amy hadn’t been lying, Judy was sitting in the snow, her knees to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs, looking up at the empty dark blue sky.

“Carrots,” Nick breathed and Judy jumped, whirling around in surprise. Her eyes widened when she saw the fox and he tried to offer an easy going smile.

“Hey, Nick,” she replied a little awkwardly. “What are you doing all the way down here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” he shot back.

 “I wanted some quiet,” she replied, looking back up at the sky. “All that time in Zootopia spoiled me, there’s too much chatter in Bunnyburrow.”

“Aren’t you cold, though?”

Judy shrugged, “A little. But I can handle it.”

 Nick rolled his eyes, “Don’t be dumb.” He placed the blanket onto the snow to Judy’s right, straightening out it’s wrinkles before sitting down. He patted the place next to him; Judy hesitated but ultimately sat down on the blanket next to him.

            “How did you know I was down here?” Judy asked after a few moments of them sitting in uncomfortable silence.

“Amy told me,” he replied honestly.

Judy snorted, “Figures. Did she tell you anything else?”

 “No…Did you tell _her_ anything?”

Judy glanced up at him but quickly moved her eyes back to the sky, “Are you asking if I told her we kissed?”

“I wouldn’t have put it as bluntly, but yeah,” he answered.

 “No, Nick. I didn’t tell anyone.”

 She didn’t say more and Nick tried to summon up the courage to speak, to tell her he was sorry for moving so fast, for scaring her, and if she didn’t really _like_ , like him that was fine. But he still wanted to be her friend.

 He opened his mouth to speak but Judy beat him to it: “I’m sorry.”

Nick’s jaw slammed shut, then, “Sorry?”

 “I know I’ve been avoiding you and it wasn’t fair of me to not even tell you why,” Judy replied, her ears draped down her back as she looked at him beseechingly.

“I know why,” Nick said his voice quiet. “It’s fine.”

Judy cringed, her expression mortified, “I was that obvious, huh?”

“It’s fine,” he repeated, “I got carried away and you got scared, that’s only natural. I _am_ a fox and you _are_ a bunny so-”

“Wait, what?” Judy looked up at him with a furrowed brow. “What are you talking about?”

“I went too fast and it freaked you out,” Nick explained, not sure why he needed to clarify.

 Judy still looked confused. For half a second. Then she burst out laughing, “That’s what you think!?”

Nick jolted, “Uh…yeah?”  
 Judy wiped away mirthful tears from her eyes, “Is that the farthest from the truth.”

“Feel free to make sense any time now, Carrots.”  
 “I made you stop because I didn’t know I could say no if we went too far, and we _were_ in my parents’ house,” Judy finally explained.

 “Oh…” Nick’s ears dropped and his eyes widened. “ _Oh_.”

She snickered again, her violet eyes teasing, “I stayed in Amy’s room because I didn’t think I’d be able to keep my paws off you.”

 He felt his ears turning hot and Nick broke eye contact with her, “Oh,” he repeated.

“I just laughed away my embarrassment,” Judy tittered shaking her head, “That’s a new one.”

 “So wait,” Nick lifted a paw. “If we weren’t at your rents’ place then we might’ve…”

“ _Might’ve_ ,” Judy replied with a shrug. “But I like to think I’m classy.”

“Huh,” Nick said, thinking over the past few days. “I was torturing myself thinking I blew it with you and turns out you were just respecting Nana’s wishes.”

 Judy’s expression switched to guilty once again, “I am sorry. I wanted to explain things but I was embarrassed. You know, until you made me laugh. Thank you.”

 Nick shook his head in an exasperated manner, and then noticed how Judy was starting to shiver. “You _are_ cold.”

“Maybe a little,” she admitted.

 Nick slipped one of his arms out of his jacket and offered that side to the rabbit, “Come here, if you can handle sitting so close without taking a bite out of me.”

 Judy smirked at his teasing before scooting over to snuggle against his side, wrapping the jacket around her small frame. Nick’s depressed mood had very quickly evaporated, leaving his chest warm and a smile on his face, “Better?”

“Much,” Judy replied, her eyes once again up at the sky.

            The silence had turned companionable but Judy still ended up breaking it, “So, you had fun here? With the Hopps clan?”

“I really did,” Nick said honestly. “Thanks for bringing me here. Maybe we can come back next year?”

“That be fun,” Judy agreed.

 Nick frowned, “Hey, Carrots? We’re friends now, right?”

Judy’s ears lifted off her shoulders, she looked up at him and Nick was surprised to see disappointment in her amethyst eyes. “I guess so?”

He pulled back slightly, his stomach twisting at the look. “We don’t have to be, Carrots. If you don’t want…I just thought…” he trailed off, not wanting to sound needy.

 “It’s not that I don’t want to be your friend, Nick,” Judy explained. “It’s just friends don’t usually kiss like we did.”

 The fox’s eyebrows rose as she continued: “I just thought you would want to be more than that.” She glanced away as she finished her words.

This bunny kept surprising him.

 “Come again?” he asked tightly.

Judy rolled her eyes, “You foxes are so dramatic.” She cleared her throat and placed her paw on his knee, looking up into his eyes. “Nick Wilde, would you like to be my boyfriend?”

 “S-sure,” Nick said immediately, dazed. “No problem.”

 Judy smiled endearingly at him and then reached up to smack their lips together just as fireworks shot up and painted the sky. The oblivious Hopps clan cheered at the spectacular sight but Nick was too busy cupping the back of Judy’s head as his lips opened and their tongues danced. Pulling her practically into his lap and just feeling so relieved, Judy was the full package and she wanted to date _him_. He couldn’t remember the last time he had ever felt so happy.

 Judy pulled her lips away, catching her breath, her eyes glimmering and an astonished smile. “You’re pretty good at that, kissing.”  
 Nick released a breathless chuckle but before he could say anything something hard and cold smacked against his cheek. He let out a yelp and he and Judy turned to see a gaggle of her younger siblings smiling over at them. For a moment Nick was terrified they had seen him kiss their sister and were about to run and tattle to her parents.

 But instead one of them, Frank, grinned. “Come play tag with us, Nick!”

The fox smirked at them then glanced at Judy, she nodded at his unspoken question and he stood up, stretching until his back popped. “Alright you pile of carrots you all asked for it.”  
 Francine smiled toward Judy, “Judy, play tag with us too!”

 “Oh, I don’t know, kids,” Judy trailed off, Nick having shed his jacket entirely so that it draped over his shoulders.

 Nick bared his teeth at her in a grin, still in a rather fantastic mood, “Are you scared, Bun Bun? Because if so there’s no shame in admitting it.”

 Judy smirked and stood up, settling Nick’s jacket securely on her shoulders, “You’re going to regret that, _Blueberries_.”  
 “Am I?” Nick asked, cocking a brow.

“If you can’t catch me then I get free sodas from you for a week,” Judy declared.

“Deal,” Nick grinned but the word had barely left his mouth before Judy ran past him, a blur as she dashed through the snow.

 “Hey!” Nick grinned and raced after her, followed by a pack of laughing bunnies.

            The fireworks had ended and a majority of the Hopps family retreated back into the house. Some of the few who were left out was Judy’s litter-mates who watched the fox chase around their sister, glad that whatever had kept them from talking looked to be officially fixed.

Judy’s stomach was sore from laughing, his feet aching with the cold but his spirits not failing. Chasing after Judy whose gray fur was flecked with snowflakes and her violet eyes shimmering as she easily dodged his advances. But Nick wasn’t going to quit, having a fantasy of rolling Judy through the snow before warming her up with a kiss. He thought it was one of his better plans.

It looked like it would come into fruition too, he was gaining on her, his legs longer than her own and fueled by the _very_ strong desire to make out with the rabbit, when she suddenly whirled around-and boxed him in the jaw.

            Nick jumped back in surprise, his paw going to his chin. The blow hadn’t hurt but it sure as hell surprised him. He gave Judy a weird look but the rabbit was staring at him with eyes so big he was afraid they’d fall out, her jaw was hanging and her ears were the brightest crimson he had ever seen and he was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the cold.

 Suddenly Fred and George burst into laughter, Nick turned to look over his shoulder at the front porch. The twins had their paws on their stomachs; laughing so hard tears were streaming from their eyes. Gwen and Amy looked just as shocked as Judy, complete disbelief written all over their faces. Harley looked torn between being amused and being annoyed. Did Nick miss something?  
 “So-sorry,” Judy stammered, hurrying past him, “You win. I’m going inside.” She walked up to the porch, sending a glare at her siblings. “If any of you tell mom or dad I’ll kill you.” And then she was running inside.

 “Aw come on, sis,” George called out. “It’s a natural part of life!”

“And we totally give you our blessing!” Fred added as they followed their sister inside.

            Nick looked to the little rabbits who were having a giggling fest much like Fred and George. He walked onto the porch, Amy and Harley went inside, leaving him with Gwen.

 “Did I do something wrong?” he asked her, completely confused.

“Actually,” Gwen said with a smile that held both amusement and sincerity. “I think you did everything right.”


	48. Chapter 48

It was time to go back. Rick’s throat still felt a little tight from his tear-jerking goodbye with Morris. The little polar bear had given him a picture he drew, it was of Rick and the cub and the fox promised to hang it up in his office once he became a doctor. He told Morris to stay strong and they’d see each other again.

 He said goodbye to Dr. Doug Moore, a ram that had been supposed to teach him the art of medical science but the two had barely exchanged a handful of words. When Rick said goodbye he wasn’t completely sure Dr. Doug Moore remembered who he was.

            He was escorted to the train station by May, Bucky and Prong, all three gave him their phone numbers, inviting him to text or call any time (“Within reasonable hours” clarified Prong), and it was only then that Rick realized he had somehow became friends with these Manehattan mammals.

Bucky and Prong gave him their goodbyes before heading off, leaving Rick and May by themselves. He smiled at the pig, “So, what happens now?”

“I live here,” she explained, “I’ll be going back to being home-schooled but trying to help at the hospital whenever I can.” She smiled reassuringly at him, “I’ll be sure to visit Morris, maybe even schedule some MuzzleTime.”

“That would be great,” he told her sincerely. “…But you know, _you_ can call me to just say hi, too.”

 “Yeah,” May said, not meeting his eyes. “I could do that.”

Rick smiled at her, taking in her flushed appearance and the bashful way she avoided eye contact. Rick realized he liked May. She was smart, feisty, and didn’t expect him to be anything more than himself.

 The train whistled behind him, informing him it was time to go.

 “If I didn’t know any better, May Swinton,” he leaned forward and made her meet his eye, his smile charming and flirty. “I’d think you have the hots for me.”

 He leaned forward and pressed their lips together, admiring the taste of her strawberry lip gloss before he pulled away. She was staring at him with wide eyes and he chuckled. “But that’s just silly.”

            Rick ran off to the train, waving as he did so. Once inside the door slid shut behind him and Rick peered out the window, May had collected herself and was waving to him her expression both exasperated and fond. He stayed at the door, watching her as the train headed down the tracks on the way to Zootopia. And then he left Manehattan behind, leaving May along with it.

 

.

 

            Leodore fell into the seat of his parents’ car with great relief, the Lionheart reunion officially over. He couldn’t believe he was actually missing school; he hadn’t talked to Percy since Newsies. Dawn had told him the bunny was no longer a part of the Singles Club.

Dawn… She had been dancing through the lion’s head ever since the almost kiss, which Dawn hadn’t even known what had happened. He wondered if that was for the best, he wondered if he should keep it a secret. He quickly dismissed the idea, he paid enough attention to his classmates to know that wasn’t going to end well nor solve any of his problems. Leodore would tell Dawn…at the right time.

 He let out a snort, annoyed with himself as houses and stores flew past as his father drove them home. He wanted to think of something else…maybe the fact Lucy had promised/threatened that she would be stopping by from time to time to check on her younger brother.

 So, mix in the fact he was falling in lust with his best friend and had the menace of his half sister hanging over him, and this was going to be a seriously exhausting senior year.

 

.

 

            Dawn however was having a great time, sitting in the living room of her parents home with the two, enjoying sweets and playing a overdramatic game of mawopoly. She smiled at them, her lips covered in frosting as she watched her parents get into adorable banter over the game which ended with her father kissing his wife, silencing her.

Dawn made a teasing comment but secretly she felt a little jealous, wanting to be kissed like that one day. As her father rolled the dice again Dawn’s hoof went to the bell wrapped around her neck. She felt her already large smile widen.

 

.

 

            Charlie hesitated at the door of her room at the Frozen Zone. Funny, that when she first got here all she could’ve cared less, but now she didn’t want to go.

Sven stood before her, offering a comforting smile. Winter break was over and it was time for them to go home, home to where Charlie would face the prejudice of her and Sven’s relationship.

She was so happy to have finally let her feelings out, to tell Sven how she really felt, to finally get to kiss him. They had spent the rest of the vacation sneaking kissing and hiding out in each others rooms to talk and snuggle. It had gotten her through her parents yelling at her for slapping Tanner and said teen’s icy silence. But Charlie wasn’t going to go back, she loved Sven and she wasn’t going to leave him. But she also wanted to tell her parents and _not_ have them forbid it.

 The cheetah reached out and took the reindeer’s hoof, “I’ll tell them.” She stepped forward and buried her face in his chest; he immediately wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace. “I promise I will. I just need to find the right time, I don’t want them to say anything to you…”

“I get it,” he said, his voice low with understanding. “Take your time.”

 Charlie lifted her head to smile warmly at him, “How are you so perfect?”

He grinned cheekily, “It’s genetics.”

She giggled before leaning up and placing a kiss on his lips.

 

.

 

            Wade really didn’t know what had gotten himself into. But he didn’t regret it, not in the slightest.

He sat on the plane ride back to Zootopia, leaning against Gazelle who was humming softly to herself. They held paws, her fingers tracing over his own, Wade was starting to realize he really liked paw holding.

 He could leave without the teasing though.

Raja and Tigger were smirking at the two, Vitaly back to reading his book and Khan taking a nap. Wade glared at the two tigers whose grins only widened.

 “Mrs. Gazelle Jones,” Raja tested the words. “It has a nice ring to it.”

Wade’s ears flushed with embarrassment and he looked out the window, a starry night sky greeted him. But he didn’t move away from Gazelle, he loved how soft and well groomed her fur was, he loved her citrus-y sweet scent.

 “Leave him alone boys,” Gazelle lightly scolded the felines. Her smile lazy and affectionate, “He’s a hero.” She had bragged to her mother and the tigers of how Wade had rescued her from Eque, the wolf had accepted praise and gratitude from under the safety of his brand new hoodie, so happy Gazelle had kept her promise and didn’t tell them about his parents. He trusted her to take that to her grave.

            And now he supposed they were more or less unofficially dating, if all the kissing and touching they had been doing was any hint, and how she was smiling at him more often that she usually did which was an impressive feat.

 Wade had never, ever thought he would date a celebrity, never thought he would _want_ to. But now that he was…Wade’s paw tightened around Gazelle’s fingers.

 

.

 

            The goodbye to the Hopps family was of course emotional, Judy hadn’t expected anything less. She just hadn’t realized how emotional her family would get for Nick.

 As she hugged her blubbering parents goodbye, promising to keep in touch and behave herself, Nick was being flocked by her little siblings, tugging at his tail and the scarf Nana had knitted for him. He took the well-meaning abuse with a pained smile.

Fred and George had shooed the bundle of bunnies away and gave the fox a hug, surprising him even further when they offered him their numbers so they could be texting buddies. Harley slipped her number to him too but Judy could tell by his expression upon receiving it that that was one phone call he was never going to make.

 Meanwhile Amy hugged her sister tightly, “If you need anything just call,” she whispered to Judy, giving her a meaningful look. Judy nodded, knowing no matter what her sister always had her back. Meanwhile Gwen gave a shy hug to both Judy and Nick, mumbling goodbye to them before hurrying back to disappear into the crowd. And then the last one to say goodbye was Nana.

 “You both be good,” she told the two. She gave Nick a knowing look, “Be a gentlefox to my grand baby understand?”

 “Of course,” Nick said instantly. “You can trust me, Nana.”

She smiled at him as if he were her own grandson, “That I can. Judy, you be good. Make good grades and good choices.”  
 The two were given one last group hug at the train station before they were forced to board the Zootopia Express, waving goodbye through the window as they headed back home.

            When her family was out of sight Judy leaned against her seat with a small sigh. Next to her Nick placed the large basket of blueberries (straight from the Hopps pasture) onto the seat next to him before smiling down at Judy. “Kinda weird going back to school, huh?”

 “Incredibly,” Judy replied. “It’ll be fun going back. You miss your mom and Rick?”

“Yeah,” Nick admitted. “But don’t tell them I said that or I’ll never live it down. I have a too cool to care reputation to protect.”  
 The rabbit smiled up at him, “You mean the jerk I couldn’t stand for the first few months of school?”

 “Yeah, that one,” he replied cheekily, but his smile dropped and he ended up looking at her with a serious expression that threw her off. “I _am_ sorry, Judy. I really was the worst.”

 “You were,” Judy replied, snuggling against his shoulder. “But I forgive you.”

Nick smiled tenderly at her for a moment before his ears flicked up, “So hey, are you going to tell me why you punched in the face during New Year’s Eve?”

 Judy pulled away, her ears going red as they always did when he brought that night up. “Uh…adrenaline…I got carried away…sorry.”

 Nick smirked at her, “Carrots, it’s hardly a promising start to a relationship to keep secrets from your brand new boyfriend.”

 Judy cringed guiltily but didn’t relent, “Don’t you have secrets you rather keep buried?”

 His smirk dropped and he looked away from her, “Touché, Carrots, touché.”

            They spent a few minutes in silence, listening to the chatter of a few other passengers. At one point Judy pulled out her iPaw and they listened to some of her favorite songs together, Nick teasingly saying he needed to get her to listen to the songs he and Finnick were fans of. The thought terrified her.

When the iPaw’s battery drained Judy placed it back in her bag and Nick let out a huge yawn, rubbing at his eyes.

“Still tired huh?” she asked him.

The fox nodded, “Yep.”

 He had gone back to being nervous when they shared her bed, even though they were careful not to even kiss, not trusting themselves to not take it farther. Judy couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt for making the fox so sleepy.

 “You can rest your head on my lap if you want,” she offered.

 Nick started, staring at her with wide eyes, “Excuse me?”

“If you want,” she replied.

 His eyes trailed down to her lap, “You’re literally the best,” he said. He laid his head across her lap, the rest of his body sprawled across his seat.

 “This okay?” he asked, sounding unsure and nervous.

“It’s fine,” she assured, stroking his ears. “Go ahead and get some rest, I’ll wake you up when we get there.”

 Nick smiled against her leg and closed his eyes, a few moments later his breathing slowed as he nodded off. Judy continued to tenderly caress his fur, loving how soft it was. _This could work_ , she thought to herself as the Zootopia Express took them back home. _I could get used to being the girlfriend of a fox_.

 


	49. Chapter 49

His name is Bobby Catmull.

He was a jaguar of very few words. Translation: he never spoke at all. Not because he couldn’t but simply because he had nothing to say.

 Bobby Catmull lived by one thing: Silent has the exact same words as listen.

            And listen he did, he probably knew more about St. Zoo and its student body than some of the teachers.

He started his day as he always did, waking up in his room, walking downstairs to kiss his mother and father goodbye, the two taking their son’s silence in stride. Then he caught a bus to St. Zoo, being one of the few students who didn’t live walking distance to the building. Truth be told there were other schools closer to Bobby’s house, but he wanted St. Zoo for it’s incredible music program. His mouth always watered as he stepped into the music room to see the pianos, guitars, drums, and everything in between, so many amazing and state of the art instruments. And he class schedule gave him plenty of free time to laze around in there. It was meant to be.

            Bobby jumped out of the bus when it stopped a few blocks from the school and dashed to the front entrance, walking into St. Zoo’s property. He stopped for a moment as he always did, taking in the sheer size of the school with a content smile but then something collided into his back.

 Bobby looked over his shoulder to see Judy Hopps, jumping back, her nose twitching from where she had smacked into him. “Oh, I’m sorry, Bobby,” she quickly apologized. The jaguar offered a small smile to show her the apology was accepted.

 He took in the brightness of the rabbit’s eyes; it was stronger than usual, something good had happened. Bobby would place a safe bet that something was Nick Wilde; the tension between the two had been so palpable most of the students had sensed it. The two must have decided to date; it had only been a matter of time after that totally-not-stage-staged-kiss. He’d call it WildeHopps.  

 “How was your winter break?” Judy asked them as they headed into the school, even though she knew the feline wouldn’t say anything.

Bobby lifted his paw and made a so-so motion, Judy nodded in understanding. Once the two had passed through the threshold a squealing had them both stopping. Bobby took a step to the left when he saw Benjamin Clawhauser rushing over to wrap Judy into a hug. The rabbit returned the hug, laughing, while Bobby headed off down the hall leaving them to be. For all the years he had known the cheetah Clawhauser’s only real friend had been Fru Fru so he found it nice he became friends with the new freshman, if you could still count Judy as new.

            Bobby made his way to his favorite place in the entire school-the music room. Walking in he saw that for the moment he was the only one there, he made his way to the piano and sat down, testing out the keys with a silly little tune he could play in his sleep. He smiled at the sound and then stood up and headed to his violin, tuning the strings and polishing its wood.

 “School just got back and you’re already in here, eh Bobby?”

The jaguar turned around to offer a welcoming grin to Sven Jingle as the reindeer walked in; even though the two had never actually held a conversation the two understood each other thanks to their love for music. Bobby’s ears pricked when he saw that Sven was practically _glowing_ with joy. He cocked his head to the side, a clear question on his face.

Sven saw the question and smiled brightly, “This winter break was the best time of my _life_ , Bobby my boy.” He walked over and grabbed Bobby’s paws in his hooves, “Guess who got to kiss the love of his life?” He pulled away from Bobby and pointed to himself with both hooves, “This reindeer!”

 _JingleSpot_ , Bobby thought as he bared his teeth into a smile, happy for the reindeer. He and Charlotte had been a longer time coming then just about any other interspecies couple that were popping up, Bobby figured if this kept up they would outnumber the same species couples in this school.

 “Oh this is going to be great,” Sven declared, once again grabbing Bobby’s paws and spinning him around the room, “We can go on dates and hold paws and just _talk_ and have _fun_! You really take those things for granted these days. And yes her parents may not know we’re dating-because we are-yet, but I can live with that. As long as I get to kiss the prettiest cheetah in all creation!”  
  Sven let go of Bobby, the now dizzy jaguar nearly fell to the floor while Sven happily fell onto the carpet, smiling dreamily up at the ceiling. “You’re such a good listener, Bobby.”

 Bobby shrugged, he tries.

            His phone buzzed and he dug his phone out of his pocket to see the words: _Moring Talk Show_ , blazing on the screen. Bobby waved goodbye to Sven and headed toward the library. Before break had started Gary and Larry asked him to be the next guest on their show, he wasn’t sure why since he never talked but Bobby just nodded and decided to go with the flow.

The two wolves were already on the second floor of the library, sitting in their chairs while a porcupine fiddled with the camera. Bobby noticed Larry reaching his paw out to place on Gary’s, offering a warm smile to him before he noticed Bobby.

“Right on time,” he told the jaguar as he sat down in the free chair.

A few moments later the porcupine announced the camera was ready and the show could start. The two wolves broke into their morning show smiles and spoke: “ _Gary and Larry in the morning_.”

“Welcome back, viewers,” Gary greeted. “I hope everyone had a fantastic winter break and ready to return to the cycle of homework and drama.”

“But for anyone who needs a little extra something to get them out of bed remember that our Winter Formal will be held in only a few short weeks,” Larry reminded.

“So if you have that special someone to ask time’s a wasting,” Gary said in a teasing tone before turning to look at Bobby. “And let me introduce today’s guest: the ever silent Bobby Catmull. Say hi, Bobby.”

The jaguar obediently waved to the camera.

“So Bobby how was your winter break?” Larry asked.

Just like with Judy Bobby made the so-so motion with his paw. Gary and Larry shared a look before the white wolf spoke up, “Excited for the Winter Formal?”

The jaguar nodded, he enjoyed social activities full of music and free food.

“Oh,” Larry cooed, “Any special someone you plan on asking?”

The jaguar shook his head; there was no one in his class that really caught his interest. But he had all his life to find love.

Gary and Larry were obviously getting annoyed by his lack of chatter but they still tried to ask him other questions. And every time he answered with a nod or a shake of the head and a shrug.

Finally Larry let out a breath, giving up. Gary spoke, “Bobby you’re very boring.”

The jaguar shrugged, that was all a matter of opinion.

            When the first bell rang Bobby headed to his first class. Bobby was quite possibly the only student paying attention to the teacher as he talked about the Nocturnal Movement. But even as he paid attention and even took notes Bobby could smell Gazelle, only thing was she wasn’t in the class. The jaguar glanced at the edge of his vision, his eyes landing on Wade who was highlighting something in his text book, _that’s_ where the scent was coming from. He recalled how the singer had made the wolf follow her around and Bobby resisted a smile. Interspecies couple number three. Was he the only one who hadn’t tried to get some tail over the holidays? _That can be…WolfSong._

            Second period followed and he passed Nick Wilde and his two friends, Finnick and Honey, they looked to be teasing the red fox and Bobby came to the conclusion that they were talking about Judy.

            At lunch Bobby would sometimes go outside to watch a team practice but unfortunately sports season was over so he stayed inside, enjoying a cricket sandwich with headphones plugged into his ears as he listened to one of his favorite violin solos. As he chewed his food he looked around the cafeteria, his eyes zoning in on Lionheart and Bellwether. The two sat in their usual booth with Percy, the rabbit was talking animatedly about something (Bobby figured it was that otter that came to see him for the Zoosies opening night), the lion and sheep listening from the other side of the table. To most other mammals they probably looked the same as usual, but Bobby caught how Lionheart’s muscles were slightly tensed, keeping his arm from brushing against Bellwether. Bobby’s eyes narrowed. _Number four-BellHeart._

            The rest of the day went about in a similar manner, Bobby paid attention to class, he listened to his music, and he got himself back up to date with his classmates’ lives. Bobby guessed it probably wasn’t the most polite things but at the same time-what was he going to do with this information? Gossip about it?

 Finally the day came to an end, the bell ringing and officially releasing the students from their studies. Bobby walked slowly out of the classroom, knowing it would be at least forty minutes before the bus that would take him home arrived.

 He passed by Gazelle who was talking to Wade, holding his arm and wearing a melancholy expression that almost made Bobby stop and listen in. He kept walking but _did_ slow his pace enough to catch the reassuring look the wolf was giving her before he reached down and kissed her cheek. Bobby also noticed a few very obvious stares toward the two, clearly this was new. But he didn’t think it would be bad either.

            As Bobby walked out of his school he couldn’t help but feel a spark of curiosity and excitement. He had spent all his life in St. Zoo, learning things both educational and not, playing music, making a friend or two. And one thing Bobby Catmull was certain of was that St. Zoo always managed to have a few surprises every year and he knew, with all these romantic feelings floating the air, that this year would be no different.

 He couldn’t help a Cheshire grin, if there was one thing he loved more than music and listening to the world around him-it was drama.

 


	50. Chapter 50

It was the first weekend after winter break and Clawhauser had invited Judy and Fru Fru for a girls’ day out, raving about this bakery he had found during the holidays that was simply to die for.

“I’ve been trying something new every time I come,” Clawhauser told them as they walked down the street, Fru Fru sitting in Judy’s paws. “And every pastry is a ten outta ten.”

 “That’s pretty impressive,” Judy noted with a smile. It was so nice to hang out with her friends again after a whole break without them.

“It is until I remind myself that Ben has never not liked a sweet he’s eaten,” Fru Fru quipped. 

Clawhauser gave the shrew a humorous look, “Maybe that’s true but I swear there’s something special about this place.”

“As long as we get to hang out I’m happy,” Judy said.

Fru Fru smirked up at her, “As long as you know _what_ we’re going to be talking about.”

“Don’t worry I know,” Judy replied with a giggle. It still made her laugh, the expressions on her friends’ faces that first day back at school. They were standing by Judy’s locker, Clawhauser telling the girls about his older brothers who had visited, when Nick walked over and casually placed a paw on the small of Judy’s back and asked for her and her friends to eat lunch with him. She had replied with a flirty “maybe” making Nick chuckle before he walked off to class. It had left the shrew and cheetah with bulging eyes and hanging jaws.

However Ben and Fru were polite and didn’t hammer either Nick or Judy with questions, even Finnick and Honey stayed quite. Judy wasn’t sure who it was hardest for.

            But now school was over, Nick headed off to spend some much needed time with his pals and Ben and Fru had their bunny friend to themselves.

The bakery Ben had taken them to was in one word: adorable. Small, snuggled between a clothing department and a post office. It was the color of cream, the shingle roof a relaxing and pleasant pink and the windows were frosted. It even had one of those red and white spinning poles above the door.

On one window read the painted words: Grey Family Bakery.

“Isn’t it cute?” Ben asked them ecstatically. The girls voiced their agreement as they stepped through the door, a bell letting out a dainty ring, announcing their arrival.

 Judy and Fru Fru inhaled deeply as soon as they stepped I, the cool air rich with the smell of sweets, cakes and pies of all different flavors. Judy felt full just by breathing in.

“What happened to losing weight?” Fru Fru asked as they followed Clawhauser to the counter, besides them the only customer was an elderly goat munching on a slice of apple pie.

 “I recently found the _perfect_ way to lose weight,” the chubby cheetah purred. “ _Dance_!”

 Before Judy could speak a door behind the counter opened, bringing in a stronger whiff of baking goods and, much to her surprise, a red fox.

            Naturally she immediately compared him to Nick and his older brother, the only red foxes she knew. This one was obviously heftier than they were, after all he _did_ work at a bakery. His fur had a more fuzzy quality, less scruffy, and his fur parted neatly at the top of his head. Judy couldn’t help but feel this fox would feel quite at home in a place like Bunnyburrow.

He rubbed four stained paws on his pink apron, walking toward the three customers as he did so, but not looking at them until he stopped.

 When his blue eyes met Judy’s they widened in shock, making her ears droop in confusion. What did she do wrong?

But whatever it was the husky fox quickly shook himself out of it and offered a friendly smile to Clawhauser, “If it’s not our brand new favorite customer.”

Ben returned the grin, “I just _had_ to bring my friends to try something.”

“That is what we’re here for,” the fox replied. “What can I get you?” He indicated to the menu hanging above his head.

            The three friends studied the list, Ben picked a Triple Chocolate Volcano, the fox jokingly commented that no one had ever finished one. Ben said challenge accepted.

Fru Fru who actually cared about keeping her figure ordered a fruit salad. The fox offered some low-fat whip cream and she thanked him.

Judy ordered a slice of the carrot cake. The fox offered no comment, I fact he barely looked at her as he rang their orders up and told them to find a seat while they waited, and Judy couldn’t help feeling a rise of defensiveness but decided not to say anything.

            The three made themselves comfortable in the booth and Ben and Fru waited a full second before pouncing on their friend:

“YOU AND NICK ARE DATING!?”

Judy jumped at their yell, the old goat sending them a glare. “Yes, we are,” she said calmly, paws folded in her lap.

“No, no, no,” Fru Fru wagged a finger. “You’re not leaving us with three words. We need _details_! And go _slowly_!”

Rolling her eyes Judy obeyed, telling them how she and Nick had gotten closer over the break, how Nick was the ranger scout from all those years ago, how they had kissed and how she simply asked him to date her and he had said yes.

 The two looked to be biting the insides of their cheeks to keep from squealing madly, Judy smirked at them, her ears turning a dark shade of pink.

            Just then the fox walked over, expertly holding the three orders in his paws and placing them gently on the table before them, once again he seemed to be avoiding making eye contact with Judy as he smiled for the table, “Hope you three enjoy. Just ring the bell by the cash register if you need anything.” With that he headed off to the counter where the goat was ready to pay for his pie.

 Judy picked up her fork and stabbed at the carrot cake, picking up a piece and placing it on her tongue. Her eyes widened and her ears pricked up-this was the best carrot cake she had ever tasted and she could suddenly see her coming to the Grey Family Bakery everyday after school for a snack.

 Fru Fru was eating her fruit salad with well-mannered etiquette, her pleasant smile telling Judy the shrew was just as fond of her meal.

The two girls looked to Clawhauser who was eagerly shoveling large spoonfuls of the Triple Chocolate Volcano into his large maw.  

            “So you said something about dancing?” Judy asked.

The cheetah’s eyes widened and he quickly nodded, crumbs spewing from his mouth as he spoke, “Oh yeah, oh yeah, I found a studio that teaches dance lessons. It’s _so_ much fun; you girls should come and see!”

 Judy liked the idea of seeing Clawhauser ballroom dancing or maybe even some of the more fast-paced dancing styles. Fru Fru spoke, “Forget us, get Gazelle to come see your talent. Maybe she’ll invite you to be one of her back up dancers.”

 Ben looked like a little cub on Christmas morning. “That would be _amazing_ ,” he breathed ecstatically. 

            Judy pointed her fork at Fru Fru, her carrot cake already half-finished. “So what have you been up to?”

“I spent time with Daddy, watching all home videos.” She shook her head in embarrassment, “I was such a crazy little kid. But the biggest thing that happened is that I made a dress.”

 Judy tilted her head to the side, “You did?”

“Fru Fru’s always had an eye for fashion,” Ben informed her, “Since we were in elementary school.”  
 “And I’m just now learning about it?” Judy asked.

“Your love life has been _super_ entertaining and took up a _lot_ of our time,” Fru stated. “But so after I finished the dress I decided to send a picture of it to this competition I read about in a magazine. If you win they’d show your dress in the next addition of Glamour Fur magazine.”

 “Did you win?” Judy asked.

But the shrew shook her head, “No, but I was called by the fashion designer who judges the competition, Coco Catnel, who told me she saw serious potential and is willing to take me under her wing this summer.”

 Judy’s and Ben’s faces split into grins. “Fru that’s so great!” Judy gushed.

“Why didn’t you say anything before?” Ben demanded good-naturedly.

The shrew shrugged, looking uncharacteristically bashful. “I wanted it to be a surprise. But you guys she’s one of the biggest fashion designers in Zootopia! If she really likes the clothes I come up with… _I_ could be a huge fashion designer!” 

 “We know you can do it,” Judy told her with utmost confidence.

            They talked about their dreams, Judy promising to come out Fru Fru’s dress and to come visit Clawhauser during one of his dancing lessons, finishing up their treats as they did so. The cheetah throwing his arms in the air and letting out a delighted whoop as he finished the last bite of the Triple Chocolate Volcano, the girls laughed and applauded him.

The red fox had been writing something on a notebook when he heard Clawhauser’s triumphant exclamation. He smiled and shook his head when the large cheetah walked over and placed the empty plate on the counter, “ _Did it_!” he grinned cheekily.

“Shouldn’t have doubted you,” the fox smiled. “Same time tomorrow then?”

 “As long as you’re not closed, right girls?”

Judy, now holding Fru as they walked to the counter to pay for their finished food, nodded in agreement, even if this fox apparently had a thing against the rabbit she still wanted to come back for another slice of that carrot cake.

 The three paid for their meals, Fru Fru crawling onto the cheetah’s shoulder as the two walked out of the bakery, Judy turned to follow them.

            “Excuse me?” the fox spoke up, his voice quiet and hesitant.

Judy stopped walking to look at him over her shoulder, “Yes?”

“I um…” he trailed off awkwardly for a moment. “My name’s Gideon. Gideon Grey.”

Not understanding why he all of a sudden brought it up Judy still managed a polite smile, “I’m Judy.”

 This Gideon Grey was giving her a weird look, as if he was expecting something from her. What, she had no idea. But when the hefty fox couldn’t find what he was looking for he offered another cautious smile. “Hope to see you and your friends again, Miss Judy.”

 

.

 

            Nick let out an annoyed huff and glared at Finnick, “Take a picture, Fin, it’ll last longer.”

“I just might have to.”  
            The two foxes along with Honey were relaxing in the fennec’s van, the radio low as he played some random song none of them knew. All three were enjoying a cherry flavored pawpsicle.

 “I just can’t believe it,” Finnick sat from the driver seat, leaning against the door. “ _She_ asked _you_.”

 “What’s ya trying to say, Fin?” Honey called from where she was sprawled on her backside in the back of the van, licking her pawpsicle, “Girls can’t be the one to ask?”  
 “Yeah, Fin what are you trying to say?” Nick added relaxing in the passenger seat with his feet atop the dashboard, knowing it would annoy his friend. 

 “My disbelief is over the fact that unlike Nick here, the bunny has options,” Finnick said.

“Your opinion of me makes me feel so uplifted and encouraged,” the red fox said dryly, having finished his pawpsicle a few minutes and now had the red stained stick between his teeth. “How am I not vain?”

Honey chuckled behind them, “Personally I think it’s cute Hopps took the reins and asked him. How was the kissing?”

 “None of neither of you two’s business,” Nick replied, noting how Finnick’s ears had perked with interest.

 “You didn’t accidentally bite her lip did you?” Finnick asked with a smirk.

“ _No_ ,” Nick snapped. “I just didn’t date her so I can tell you two all about it.”

 Honey sat up and leaned between the two seats, smiling proudly at Nick, “She’s brought out the best of you, Nicky.”

The fox felt his ears heat up.

            Finnick watched how flustered his friend was, thinking to himself maybe the little charity he had started to save up money for the bet wouldn’t be needed after all.

“Come on,” he said, finishing up his pawpsicle. “We got work to do.”


	51. Chapter 51

            If there was one thing Wade favored most about St. Zoo it was that it’s roof was perfectly flat, allowing the students to enjoy their break and lunch hours atop the building and looking out at the city around them.

But right now Wade favored it for the solitude. He was the only mammal there, lying on the cement ground, eyes closed as the mid-day sun warmed his fur. If there was one thing he should’ve expected but hadn’t when becoming Gazelle’s boyfriend it was the attention.

 He had arrived the first day of school after break, leaving behind his mother who was guzzling liquor, his father no where to be found, and saw Gazelle standing at the front doors. Waiting for _him_.

            She broke into a grin as the wolf parked his truck and walked over to her. Wade had offered her  hesitant grin, new to the whole dating thing and not sure what to do. Gazelle however decided for him, racing over and jumping into the wolf’s arms, planting a kiss on his lips. Wade had his eyes opened so he caught the stares and gasps of shock of the mammals that were around them, his felt his ears flush with embarrassment but he was quick to return the kiss.

When she pulled away her eyes were sparkling like stars and his throat tightened with affectionate.  Gazelle linked their arms together and led him into the school, telling him how worrying over tests was so less stressful than getting ready for concerts. Wade listened with one ear, unable to not notice the looks the two received.  Yes, Wade had followed Gazelle around for a bit but they had never walked pressed up against each other. They were receiving stares that ranged from confused to surprise to angry, every time Gazelle noticed the wolf glancing at the crowd she would nuzzle against his neck in a reassuring manner that eased his nerves.

            But all too soon the two had to separate for their classes, leaving Wade to suffer the stares and whispers on his own. He didn’t like so much attention, it made him antsy and caused his fur to stand on end. When lunch came he practically ran up to the room, feeling like an ant under a magnifying glass. He had let out a breath of relief when the only thing to surround him was the sky.

             A shadow fell over him, blocking out the sunlight, Wade peeled his eyes open to see Gazelle standing over him. She was smiling but her eyes were concerned, “I’ve been looking all over for you. You okay?”

“I’m fine,” he replied. “Just needed to get away from the spotlight.”

“I’m sorry,” Gazelle laid down next to him, “I forgot that if I started dating animals would go crazy.”

“Oh, is that why you’ve never dated anybody?” the wolf asked.

“I’ve been on dates but I never had a boyfriend, I didn’t ever find someone worth all the extra attention.”

“But _I_ am?”  
“Oh, incredibly so,” Gazelle smiled at him, turning her head to look at him. Wade did the same. “You’re worth even the most dedicated of paparazzi.”  
“I’m flattered, Popstar,” he replied, flashing his teeth in a grin.

Gazelle went silent then, looking at him with a thoughtful expression that had the wolf’s smile lowering. “What is it?”

She sat up, looking down at him with a serious expression, “Wade, take me to your part of town.”  
His brow furrowed, “What?”

She smirked, “I want to see what my boyfriend does for fun. Show me where you go to party.”

He sat up and gave her a weird look, “Are you asking me on a date?”

She leaned in until her nose brushed against his own and fluttered her long eyelashes, “Yep.”

 

.

 

            Wade stood inside his Aunt Kate’s thrift shop, wearing his brand new red hoodie and his least raggedy shirt and jeans, outside his old beat up truck ready for the date. Gazelle having celebrity business to finish up and told him she would meet him here, the wolf couldn’t help but feel she wanted him to get embarrassed by his sisters.

 The two pups were sitting on a couch of their aunt’s store, smiling cheekily up at him. He scowled at them and they only giggled.

“So where you taking her?” Jenna asked him.

“None of your business,” the wolf growled.

“It better be someplace nice,” Lily ordered him. “A girl like Gazelle deserves someplace nice.”

“And you two deserve to go sit in a corner,” he replied.

 “Girls stop teasing your brother,” Aunt Kate spoke from where she was pulling out money from the cash register. “I’m proud he finally got himself a date.”

Wade opened his mouth to tell her he had been on dates before but then remembered that that was false.

            Suddenly the sound of an engine had Wade turning to look out the windows to see a limousine stopping by the parking lot and Gazelle came rushing out, reaching the door as the vehicle drove away.

 “I’m so sorry,” she said as soon as the she entered the store, “I was talking to a recording studio about my next album and I couldn’t get him off the phone-”

“GAZELLE!” Jenna and Lily squealed, hurrying over to stand before the singer, tails wagging in excitement.

She smiled down at them, “Hi, girls.”

While Gazelle talked to the two pups Wade felt his mouth going dry as he looked at her, he had asked her to dress casual and he guessed she technically did, wearing a loose gray sweater that revealed a bare shoulder and black jeans. Yet she was still dazzling in his vision. What had this prey done to him?

            Aunt Kate was smirking at him as he walked over to Gazelle, who was listening to Jenna tell her how all the kids in class couldn’t believe _her_ brother was dating _Gazelle_.

“I don’t think he believes it either,” Gazelle smiled, looking up at Wade, her eyes doing that sparkling like stars trick again and his throat still felt dry.

Lily pulled on his pant leg and loudly whispered, “Tell her she looks pretty.”  
“You look…nice,” he mumbled lamely.

Gazelle smiled at him while Jenna let out a disgusted sigh. “She looks better than _nice_ , Wade, at least _pretend_ you’ve been on a date before.”

Wade curled his lip at his sister, “Shouldn’t you and Lil be in bed by now?” The two pups stuck their tongues at him.

Aunt Kate laughed, “Alright girls, your brother and Gazelle need to get going. Be safe you too.”

“We will,” Wade said, “Goodnight, Aunt Kate.”

“Goodnight girls,” Gazelle waved at the wolf pups as he led her out to his truck.

 He had tried to straightened the inside of it up though there was nothing he could do about the tears in the leather. Funny how only a few short months ago Gazelle had rode in his truck and he could’ve cared less of her opinion of it.

She relaxed in the passenger seat as he started the truck and headed off, going to the edges of Savannah Central. “Where are we going?” she asked him.

He smirked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye, “It’s a surprise.”  
“Can’t even give me a hint?” she asked in a teasing way.

 “I think you’ll like it,” he told her. “It’s been a long time since I last went.”

            Wade drove through some of the older streets of Zootopia, only a few mammals walking around the street. He could tell by the way she was looking out the window that Gazelle had never been close to here. They finally parked by an old house with the words for sale on the door. Surrounding them were close-knit buildings of varying heights, all in dark colors that made the evening seem that much darker.

Gazelle looked at him with surprise as he climbed out of the truck, “What are we doing here?”

“Parking,” he told her, walking over and opening the passenger door for her. He smiled at her nervous expression, “Our destination is only a few blocks away, it doesn’t have a parking lot.”

He grabbed her arm and helped her out of the truck, leading her down the dim street. She stayed close to his side, looking at the dark windows of the shops and houses anxiously.

            “Here we are,” he said after a few minutes of walking. They had stopped by a rickety looking building that looked ready to collapse, the windows dark and dusty.

Gazelle looked at it dubiously, “No seriously, where are we going?”

He chuckled and urged her to a door that creaked when he opened it, the inside just barely lit by old flicking light bulbs. Gazelle stood in the doorway, her muscles tensed.

Wade placed his paw on her waist and made her walk inside, closing the door behind them walking farther into the room.

 “It’s pretty gloomy in her,” Gazelle said, keeping a grip on his arm. “Not that I’m scared or anything.”

“Gloomy?” Wade swatted away a cobweb he noticed on the wall, “You kidding? This is the most beautiful place in the world. Wolves come from miles around just to be right here.”

“I can’t imagine why,” Gazelle admitted as they stopped in front of a door.

He smiled and leaned in to whisper in her ear, “That’s cause you’re only looking skin-deep.” He then opened the door and Gazelle gasped at what lay beyond it.

            It was a club but none like she had ever seen. It was a very large room, small round tables at the edges of the room to give mammals plenty of dancing space. The club was ninety eight percent full of wolves while she spotted a fox and cow sitting at one of the tables. On the ceiling was a large circle of glass, she could see stars twinkling in the night sky, also on the ceiling were strobe lights that were pointed to the floor, showing multi-colored lights. It took Gazelle a moment to realize it was supposed to look like the northern lights. These wolves were _dancing_ on the northern lights. But not only that, they were singing, just like Wade and his music, only it was much more energized and playful, actual music vibrated through her feet and up her legs. She smiled at the sight.

 Wade noticed her expression and grinned tenderly, “Welcome to my part of town: The Howling Room.”

            Gazelle hurried forward, always swaying a bit to the music while Wade followed more calmly, they had barely moved before a reddish brown wolf hurried over to them with a big smile on his face: “Wade!”

The wolf smiled, “Hey, Ginger.”

“Where have you _been_?” Ginger grinned. “I haven’t seen you here in _months_!”

“Yeah,” Wade shrugged apologetically. “I’ve been busy.”

Ginger looked to Gazelle who was standing a few feet away, his ears pricked in interest, “Who’s this?”

“My girlfriend,” Wade replied, having known no one here was into pop culture and would recognize Gazelle. “She wanted to see what I did for fun.”

“Heh,” Ginger said, “Well hope to hear you howl.” He ran off, already lifting his head back and howling with the music.

 Wade led Gazelle to an empty table. “So you _do_ have friends?” she clarified as they sat.

“No, I had associates,” Wade replied then gave her a smile along with a serious glint, “Honestly I think you’re my first real friend”

She smiled softly at him, her eyes twinkling.

 “Want me to get you something to drink?” he offered, feeling a little embarrassed from admitting something so personal.

“Sure, I’d like that,” she replied. “But let me walk with you, this _is_ a date after all.”

            They walked to the end of the room where there was a bar, both of them ordering soda. While the wolf bartender fetched their drinks, they leaned against the counter waiting patiently when a she-wolf walked up to stand by Wade’s other side.

“Wade Jones?” she spoke. “It’s been too long.”

Wade jolted when he got a good look at her, “Hey, Lola.”

The cream colored wolf smiled sweetly at him, it had been a long time since he last saw her. The last time was when he had gone to Ginger’s house for a party, someone had put something in the drinks and his inhibitions at being touched vanished and he let Lola lead him into a bedroom. After that night Wade made a point of not drinking or going to parties. But now Lola was here for Gazelle to see, the singer watching the exchange between the two wolves silently.

“I haven’t seen you around recently. Where’ve you been?”

He leaned away from her, “I’ve had school.”

Lola smirked at him, “You’ve never been that dedicated to your studies before.” She glanced at Gazelle, “I think you’ve simply been preoccupied.” She shook her head and patted his arm, “Don’t be a stranger, darling.”

 Lola, knowing that what had happened between her and Wade was a one time thing, walked away with an easy swish of her tail. He nearly deflated in relief; he had been so sure she would say something about their night together if only to tease him.

 He glanced at Gazelle and by the look on her face she had already guessed. “She’s pretty,” she commented, taking her drink from the bartender with a nod of thanks. Wade got his glass and walked after her, “It was a one time thing. I got drunk at a party.”

“It’s fine,” Gazelle replied easily, sitting back in their seats. “You think all _I_ did on my dates was talk?”

Wade honestly didn’t want to think about what other males had done to her before she met him but he didn’t say anything, instead taking a sip of his iced drink.

            They watched the wolves howl and dance, an impressive sight with the star light streaming through the glass and the colorful lights waving across the floor.

“So you like this place?” Wade asked her almost hesitantly.

“This is amazing,” Gazelle said, “Even better it’s so far away that it’s practically in it’s own little world. I don’t know if any of our classmates know about it.”  
 “I know Gary and Larry do,” he told her. “I saw them here the last time I came.”

 Gazelle turned her attention to him, “It sounds like it really has been a long time since you came here.”

“Almost a year now,” the wolf replied, keeping his eyes on the crowd.

 He felt her hoof rest on his paw and he looked over to see her looking at him worriedly, “Why did you stop?”

“Troubles at home,” he said quietly. He didn’t want to go into detail, tell her his father’s punches had gotten stronger, leaving bruises on his eyes and swelling on his lip, that his mother would get so clingy and look so pitiful that he didn’t have the heart to leave her alone. Gazelle’s placed her other hoof on his paw and squeezed.

 “Wade…” she said cautiously, not sure how to talk about this subject. “If you ever…”

The wolf quickly stood up, lacing his fingers together with her own and offered a smile, “Dance with me?”

She frowned at him, knowing he was changing the topic. He shrugged, “What was the point of going to a club for a date if we aren’t going to dance?”

She sighed but offered a small smile and stood up, following him onto the dance floor. Ginger noticed the two and let out a whoop, howling energetically. A few other wolves smiled at Wade, he forgot how well-liked he was here if only for his singing voice.

 The music changed, starting a new song. Wade cleared his throat, a bit self-conscious with Gazelle and other wolves watching him, but he forced his head up and broke into a howl-and just like that, any form of bashfulness or insecurity evaporated.

Instantly the other wolves joined him, Gazelle smiling gleefully at her wolf, who started to move to the music like the others. He turned to her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her to him and spun her around. She laughed, her skin warm and she joined the howls. The two ran their fingers over each other, jumping and spinning to the music, nuzzling against each other when they got the chance. Once or twice a wolf would pull Gazelle away for a dance and Wade tried not to get too jealous.

The excitement only grew when the full moon shone through the class of the ceiling and the wolves let out ecstatic cries that sent shivers down Gazelle’s spine, this was really like nothing she had ever heard of. She watched as Wade sucked in a breath and howled, his voice strong and carrying through the room, she couldn’t help but snuggle against his side, his fur warm from the dancing, she looked up at him, illuminated by the moon and the northern lights.

 Wade’s howling slowed to a stop and he looked down at her, his green eyes glowing and a smile pulling his lips apart. Gazelle was barely in control of her limbs as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her lips.

 

.

 

            They left The Howling Room after the moon passed away from the glass of the ceiling, Ginger, Lola, and a few other wolves making Wade promise to come again soon. Then he and Gazelle had made it back to his truck and ended up in a fierce make-out session.

Wade leaned against his door, the back of his head pressed against the cool glass of the window. Gazelle sat in his lap, fingers clutched to the front of his hoodie. Wade had one paw on her waist and the other on her bare shoulder, his claws running through her soft, well-groomed fur.

 He let out a whimper as she pulled away from his lips, and just when he thought he could get her toes to curl, and she peppered kisses across his muzzle, cheeks, and neck. He leaned his mouth forward to nibble against one of her horns, even though he had no idea if she could feel it, he was practically drowning in her scent.

 He pulled his mouth away as he felt her hoof slip under his shirt. “H-Hey,” his voice was low and breathless, Gazelle kissing the edge of his jaw. “Shouldn’t we slow it down a little?” A moan rose up his throat as she grinded against him. “G-Gazelle, I may be a wolf but I like to think I’m a little classy.”

Those latter words had her pulled her lips away from him, her eyes hazy with want; she licked her lips before speaking, “Sorry. I think my jealousy made me a little impatient.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, “Jealousy?”

“I know it’s silly, and pretty stuck up but I…” she trailed her fingers over his neck. “I had kinda hoped _I_ was the first one to kiss you and…and touch you.”

Gazelle the pop singer was jealous over Lola because of _him_? That was the last thing Wade had expected. “Hey,” he reached up, trailing his paw across her face, “You were the first one that matters.”

 She smiled, leaning her cheek against his paw before lying down and snuggling against his chest, “Can we just snuggle for a little while?”

“For a little while,” he breathed, wrapping his arms around her. “Then we need to get back or my aunt will get angry at us.”

Gazelle snuggled closer against his chest, “This was a really nice night. I had a lot of fun.”

“Good, I’m glad,” he told her, kissing her ear.

 Wade might have to deal with staring and whispers and who knew what else, but having Gazelle resting in his arms, her heartbeat against her ribs and her delicious scent flooding the truck. It would all be worth it.

 

 

 

 

           


	52. Chapter 52

 Finnick, Honey, and Rick stood in a line on the football field, in front of Nick. Behind the red fox stood Judy, looking slightly uncomfortable and giving her boyfriend’s brother and friends an apologetic look. Her own two friends sat in the bleachers, watching with shiny-eyed interest.

 Nick spoke: “So you three know what you’re supposed to do right?”

“Raise your girlfriend’s confidence even though that’s your job,” Finnick replied gruffly. Fru Fru and Honey snickered and the fennec smirked proudly.

 Nick frowned at him, “This was my idea. Carrots over there wants to be a cop and she needs to start practicing as soon as possible and today’s lesson will be fighting off and chasing criminals.”  
 “Nick,” Rick spoke up, his arms crossed. “Not that I don’t want to help Judy but why can’t you do this? I kinda wanted to get some studying done…”

“ _I_ am her encouragement coach,” Nick turned his warm smile toward Judy who returned it but with an edge of exasperation. 

“I could just study, Nick,” Judy pointed out, not wanting to annoy his friends.

“Nonsense,” he waved away her words, “They want to help. Now we need a volunteer.”

“Oh, me, me!” Honey shot her paw up, waving it frantically and jumping in place.

“Hm,” Nick placed his chin in his paw, his expression thoughtful. “Tough choice, you’re all invested but I think I’m gonna go with…Honey.”

“YES!” the badger let out a cry of triumph and hurried forward, “What do I do? What do I do?”

 Nick pointed across the field, “You’re going to run to the end of the field and Carrots is going to catch you.” He looked toward Judy with a sardonic smirk, “But no hitting this time, Fluff.” The words made the rabbit’s ears turn red and Rick and Finnick exchanged a confused glance.

“Honey,” Nick continued, “Remember to run as fast as you-” the badger dashed off before he could finish his sentence.

 “I DIDN’T SAY NOW!” Nick called out as Judy ran past him and went after the badger.

            It took Judy exactly ten seconds to tackle into the honey badger, knocking them both to the grass none too gently.

“Oh, _shit_!” Finnick burst into laughter. “I did _not_ see that coming!”

“Are you two okay?” Nick asked as he and Rick hurried over to the two.

“I’m fine,” Judy jumped off Honey’s back and helped her up, “Are you okay? I’m so sorry Honey I didn’t think I’d be able to knock you down like that.”

“No problem at all sugar,” Honey assured the rabbit, her eyes flashing with newfound respect. “Call me pleasantly surprised.”

 Nick breathed in with relief before clapping his paws together, “Okay, since we don’t have any scrapes or bruises-Finnick you’re next!”

 

.

 

            The group spent a few more hours like that, Judy chasing mammals around, did some light-hearted wrestling, being cheered on by Clawhauser and Fru Fru, and of course Nick (the latter which got roped into sparring with Judy but just ended up tickling here which everyone agreed was cheating). When the sun was starting to hide behind the cityscape Fru Fru invited them to a fast food joint to get a bite to eat, the entire meal on her. Clawhauser, Honey, and Nick were happy with that, Judy knew Fru wouldn’t listen to her resistance, but Rick and Finnick refused to have their food paid and did so themselves.

            They all crammed into a booth together, just talking about nothing and everything, Judy scrunched up between Nick and Clawhauser. All of them with minus the cheetah and shrew, had slightly disheveled fur and were a little sore from constantly being knocked to the ground-but they were in good spirits.

Judy couldn’t help but smile to herself as she came to the realization that things in Zootopia had turned out so much better than she thought they would.

 

.

 

            After the meal they bid each other farewell, Fru Fru and Clawhauser heading home, and Finnick and Honey going off to gallivant, but the two Wilde brothers offered to walk Judy home which she accepted.

The three walked down the street in silence for a while before Nick’s ears suddenly pricked up and he broke into a grin, “Carrots, I just thought of a way to test your detective skills.”

She and Rick looked to him, “Oh?”

Nick pointed at his older brother, “Figure out why my brother has been in an uncomfortably good mood since he got back from winter break.”

Rick ran his paw across his face in a frustrated manner, “Nick, we’ve lived together for seventeen years now. A good mood is my personality.”

“But that’s a good mood,” Nick said. “You’re in a _good_ , good mood.”

“Well he _did_ get to be an intern to his dream job,” Judy pointed out. “That would make me happy.”

“And yet he hasn’t been telling me about famous surgeries in horrifically graphic detail during breakfast,” Nick said with a musing expression. “And he’s been spending a _lot_ of time staring at his phone.”

Judy’s ears pricked up and she looked at the older fox, “Rick did you meet someone?”

Said fox’s ears flushed and he looked away, Nick let out a loud gasp his smile nearly splitting his face apart, “YOU MET SOMEONE!”

 Rick groaned while Nick hugged his brother’s shoulders, Judy covered her mouth to hide her smile. “What’s her name? Is she a vixen? Was she an intern? Is she a dork like you or is she actually kinda cool? Did you kiss her? I bet you did under the mistletoe you romantic dweeb!”

“Okay Nick, leave him alone,” Judy gently pulled him away from Rick. “Don’t tease him.”

“Thank you, Judy,” Rick said, his face buried in his paws.

            The three made it to Judy’s doorstep, inside she could heard the chatter of her cousins. Judy smiled at the two foxes, “Thanks for walking me.”

“Actually Carrots,” Nick stopped her from leaving, “I wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

Nick looked at his brother, “I wanted to ask you without an audience.”

“Oh I’m sorry,” Rick said dryly. “I can’t hear you over all that teasing from ten seconds ago.”

 Nick rolled his eyes at him but turned back to Judy, “Fine, with an audience. Are you busy this weekend?”

Judy’s smile grew, knowing where this was going, “Completely free.”

“Great!” Nick began but then halted when he realized that _maybe_ he said that a little too loud and excited. “I mean…cool…cause I was wondering…if maybe…I could…we could…”

“Go on a date with him,” Rick spoke up, ignoring Nick’s glare.

Judy laughed at the two brothers, “If you insist.”

 


	53. Chapter 53

“You sure you don’t want to take a break?” Charlie asked, jogging easily next to Sven, the reindeer obviously having a harder time than she as they ran across the track.

“What?” he gasped, “No…I can…do this…all day!”  
 Charlie smiled tenderly at him, slowing down to a stop for the stubborn teen’s sake. “Well, _I_ need a break,” she said even though she had barely broken a sweat.

Sven stopped, resting his hooves on his knees as he sucked in oxygen, “If you…must…”

 Charlie’s heart felt warm, despite Sven didn’t have an athletic bone in his body since he was a kid he was always willing to talk sports with her, even getting passionate about it like she. And in return she did the same with music.

 In fact that morning she had joined him in the music room, listening to him play a fast-paced ditty on the piano that she sang along to, lying across the piano. When the song had finished Sven had snuck a kiss, making the cheetah purr.

            Now school was about to let out its students and Charlie wasn’t ready to head home and pretend she wasn’t in love with a reindeer for her parents’ sake. Her expression apparently gave away her thoughts because Sven gave her a sympathetic look, having finally caught his breath. “Hey, why don’t you come over to my house after school?” he offered. “My parents won’t be home till late tonight so we’ll have the place to ourselves.”

 

.

 

            Probably one of the most endearing things about Sven was that those words hadn’t been meant as sexual in the least. He and Charlie arrived at his completely empty house and the first thing he offered was a snack, then asked if she’d like to watch a movie or listen to this song he was composing, or if she simply wanted to talk.

Sven Jingle was too pure for this world.

            They ended up going to his room, sitting with their backs against the foot of his bed while they watched one of his favorite musicals: Jackal and Hyde. Though to be perfectly honest Charlie doubted there was any musical the reindeer wasn’t fond of in some shape or form.

Eventually they were holding paws, his thumb tracing over her knuckles which led to her purring. Sven smiled when he heard the noise, surprising Charlie by laying his ear against her chest, “I love that noise.”

She grinned which only made her purring increase in volume, with one arm wrapped around him she ran her claws gently over his antlers, admiring how smooth the surface was. But despite how comfortable and content she felt her purring ended up coming to a stop, her paw dropping.

 “Charlie?” Sven pulled away to look down at her with concern. “You okay?”

She tried for a smile, “I’m fine. Just…thinking.”

“About your parents,” he got it right on the dot.

Charlie’s ears pressed against her skull, “I just don’t know what to say to them.”

“I’m in no rush for you to tell them,” Sven reminded her.

“But you should be,” she insisted, “Keeping this a secret makes it sound like I’m ashamed of you. I want to tell them but…I just don’t know how to make them understand.”

 “Then let’s practice,” he leaned back on his hooves, “I’m your parents. Now tell me how you’re madly in love with a musical prodigy who happens to be a reindeer.”

 Charlie chuckled at him but tried to take his idea seriously; imaging that it was her parents sitting before her. “Mom, Dad,” she began. “I have something to tell you.”

“Go on, darling,” Sven spoke in a high-pitched voice in an imitation of her mother.

“Don’t do that,” Charlie told him before continuing. “I know you think interspecies relationships can’t work, and maybe that’s true for some animals. But it isn’t for me… I love Sven, more than I can really say, no matter that he’s a reindeer. I know it’s not what you wanted of me, but that won’t change that I’m in love with him. I-I hope you can learn to accept that…” Her voice trailed off and she looked at Sven with a cautious question across her face. “How was that?”

“Sorry,” he smiled at her, “I got lost in your eyes and forgot to listen.”

 “Sven!” she pushed him onto his back with a laugh. “You are no help at all.” She leaned over him on her paws and knees.

He smiled up at her, “I’m just here to be a pretty face.”

Her purr had returned as she smiled down at him, lying across his chest and nuzzling against his throat. “Too bad you don’t have a very big brain behind that ‘pretty face’.”

“What do you mean by that?” Sven asked, looking down at her.

 She smirked and sat up, straddling his waist and giving him a flirty grin, “Well, you _do_ have a girl who’s interested in you in your bedroom with no parents in sight.” She stood up and shrugged, “But I guess you aren’t that interested.”

 “Yes I am!” Sven jumped to his feet, “It’s just…you and I…uh…”

 She leaned against him, still purring like mad. “Some day,” she promised. “Just not now.”

 


	54. Chapter 54

“So this is it?” Percy asked, looking up at the abandoned store, the words Bellwether’s Dresses above the locked door.

Ever since winter break Dawn had longed to visit the old store, despite that they had sold it the armadillo who bought it had yet to do anything with it. Dawn imagined he had bought it for the main reason that he already owned most of the stores on these streets. But the sheep had sought him out and the armadillo had no qualms with letting her and her friends give it a look.

 So with key in hoof Dawn had invited Leo and Percy to check it out, not knowingly Otto and even Lucy would tag along. Otto wasn’t a huge surprise and Dawn did find the otter likable, but she couldn’t help staring in surprise as Lucy showed up with her brother, stating she wanted to make sure he wasn’t up to anything mischievous. Leodore had given Dawn an apologetic look.

            “Please don’t make a mess,” Dawn told the group. “I promised Mr. Roundback we’d be careful.”

She unlocked the door and stepped inside, and just like that she was a lamb again, walking through a brightly lit store, running her always clean hooves over the skirts of the many beautiful gowns her mother created. And no matter what part of the store she stood in she could always hear her mother’s warm voice, either talking to customers or singing as she sewed.

 Dawn let out a nostalgic sigh as she walked through the story that was in reality dimly lit and covered in dust, but all mannequins and dress racks still decorated the store. There were cobwebbed boxes of old lace, ribbons, and assortments of cloth.

            “Oh I love this color,” Percy cooed, pulling out a length of silk that was the color of aquamarine.  Otto, who was standing by his side, nodded in agreement.

“Funny enough I think my mother used that silk once to make a prom dress for an otter,” Dawn told them. “It looked beautiful.”

Leodore studied a mannequin that was near his size, his eyes wistful, “I wish I could’ve seen it before your mother sold the store.”

“I do too,” Dawn said honestly, finding a small box of ribbons, “I wish you all could have seen it.”

 “It was stupid that your mother had to sell this over something that wasn’t her fault,” Lucy said bluntly, running her shiny claws across a dress rack.

Leodore sent her a glare before looking at Dawn with an uncomfortable look, Percy doing the same.

But the sheep kept her eyes on the collection of ribbons. “Yes, it was,” she agreed.

            “Oh, look at this one,” Otto, not knowing about Dawn’s mother, had kept looking through the box of fabrics and now pulled out a bolt of creamy white silk. “This one doesn’t have a speck of dust.”

“Let me see that,” Dawn pulled herself away from the ribbons and took the silk from the otter. Walking over to mirror that decorated with a few cobwebs, seeing her reflection through the grimy glass Dawn threw the fabric over her shoulders and around her torso, making it look as if she was wearing the beginnings of a dress. She smiled to herself.

            “Dawn?” Leodore stepped behind her, she could see him through the mirror and she smiled bashfully at the lion’s reflection.

“I was just thinking…when I was little my mother promised she’d make me a wedding dress…”

 She had turned her eyes back to the silk around her; not catching how flustered the lion looked before he walked away from the mirror. Nor did she notice the knowing smirk Lucy sent her half-brother before she walked up to the sheep.

 “Can’t she still?” the lioness asked. “She hasn’t lost her dress making skills has she?”

“No it’s just…” Dawn tried to find the words. “I don’t want to make her remember how her life was before-before the attack. Besides,” she laughed dryly, “Who’d want to marry me?”

 Leodore, who had been leaning against a mannequin, suddenly fell to the floor, taking the figurine with him.

 “Are you okay?” Percy asked, jumping in fright at the crash, making Otto whirl around and Dawn nearly jump out of her wool. Lucy burst into laughter.

“Leodore Lionheart, folks,” the lioness threw her arms out dramatically, still chuckling, “The smoothest cat in all of Zootopia.”


	55. Chapter 55

Judy stood at the bottom step of her aunt’s house, feeling the eyes of many bunnies on her back as they stared at her through the window.

She had decided to dress comfortably causal for this date, knowing Nick wouldn’t mind. She wore a pretty pink blouse and a pair of jeans that had sparkles on the pockets, Judy looked down at herself and tried not to squelch the nervousness in her belly.

            Suddenly a horn blared and Finnick’s van stopped by her house. Out of the driver seat came Nick, wearing his leather jacket and what looked to be the nicest shirt and jeans she had ever seen him wear, she smiled tenderly when she saw he wore the scarf Nanna had knitted him.

“Sorry, I’m late,” he apologized. He waved at the cousins peeking from the window and they quickly dashed off upon being spotted.

“It’s fine,” she reassured him, wondering if she should hug him in greeting. “But I must ask what you had to do to get Finnick to let you borrow his van.”

“I have to promise to follow all of his very strict, very specific rules,” Nick told her, taking her paw and leading her to the passenger door. “I would tell you these rules but by the time I’m finished the movie will be over.”

He opened the door for her with a dramatic bow and Judy offered a teasing curtsy before climbing into the seat.

            Nick drove them out of the street and headed downtown. They would be watching an old classic film at a nearby drive-in theater Nick had told her about. Even though they were a lot of drive-in theaters in Bunnyburrow it had been a long time since Judy last visited one and was eager to relieve the experience. Reliving said experience with Nick certainly made the eagerness meter go up.

“It was sweet of you to wear that scarf,” she told him after a few moments of comfortable silence.

“Why _wouldn’t_ I wear it?” he asked with a smile, keeping his eyes on the road. “I look _hot as hell_ in this thing.”

“You look like Draco Malfox,” Judy giggled at the thought of Nick as the famous Harry Otter character.

“First Jason Biteman now Draco Malfox, I should become a stunt double,” Nick commented then ran a paw over his cheek, “But I really don’t want to risk disfiguring this face.”

She smirked at him, “No we don’t want that. I could never kiss you again.”  
“Oh the horror,” Nick shuddered playfully. “But seriously, I’m wearing this scarf to silently tell you that Finnick’s _first_ rule was no hanky-panky in his van.”

            After a few more minutes of talking about random things Nick ended up at the drive-in.

“What’ll it be?” the lynx at the ticket booth asked, lazily chewing a wad of gum.

Nick and Judy examined the list of old movies playing. The fox suggested a romantic comedy but Judy nearly jumped in excitement when she spotted an old scary film she had only watched once when she was eight. Nick gave her a dubious look, “You really want to watch _Night of the Stalking Dead_ for our first date?”  
Judy grinned at him, “Surely you know a girl is more likely to jump into your lap during a scary movie than a romantic one.”

“Ah, yes I’d like two tickets for Night of the Stalked Dead,” Nick informed the lynx.

            They parked the van along with all the other cars already there, they parked so the back of the van faced the large screen, Nick opening the back doors so he and Judy could sit and watch. He even brought a couple of blankets for them to sit on.

 “Stay here and make yourself comfortable, I’ll get some snacks and drinks,” Nick told her as he slid out of the van. “What drink do you want?”

“I don’t mind some lemonade,” Judy told him. “But I can come and help you get it.”

“No, no,” Nick grabbed her shoulders and gently eased her down onto the blanket he had laid out for them. “You relax, leave it to me.”

Feeling more than a little pampered Judy watched the rabbit scurry off, leaning against her paws as she did so. She looked around at the other cars, smiling to herself when she spotted Flash and Priscilla a few cars ahead of her, snuggling against each other. She imagined snuggling with Nick like that and felt her skin flush.

Her eyes still roaming she then spotted a pair of foxes much closer to the screen, both of them talking animatedly about something. Seeing same species couples, Judy couldn’t help feeling a little self-conscious, wondering if Nick would notice and be bothered.   

            Her ears pricked up when he returned, carrying two drinks and a large bag of popcorn and even a bag of carrot-flavored candy, he smiled at her and placed the snacks and beverages between them before climbing into the van and sat down.

As the commercials played the two dug into the popcorn, more than once their knuckles brushed and more than once it wasn’t an accident. Judy tried to get the fox to try a piece of the candy but he rejected the offer, having only bought it for her sake. The words brought a tender smile to Judy’s lips and the fox eventually broke eye contact with a flushed expression.

 When the movie started Judy leaned forward, ears pricked up and attention on the screen. As the main characters were introduced Nick pushed the popcorn and drinks off the blanket and grabbed Judy’s wrist, pulling the rabbit onto his lap before she could say anything.

 “What are you doing?” the rabbit asked as the fox wrapped his arms around her waist.

“I figured my lap would be more comfortable,” he said, “And this way I can use your ears to hide during the scary parts.”

She chuckled softly, “Nick Wilde are you scared of horror movies?”

“I watch them just because Finnick and Honey like them,” Nick replied, resting his chin atop her head.

“Even though Honey has attacked mammals for it,” Judy said.

“Only on films based on true events,” Nick reminded her with a smile.

            The two dwindled off into silence, eyes on the large screen. While Judy paid attention to the movie (it was hardly as scary as she remembered), she was also very aware of the warmth of Nick’s arms and paws wrapped securely around her, his heartbeat that pounded a little quicker than normal throbbed against her ear.

Judy could hardly believe that not too long ago she and Nick couldn’t stand the sight of each other. When they had first met the last thing she had imagined was that she was going to date him, or that he was the ranger scout that she had daydreamed about. But she didn’t regret it.

At one point of the movie Nick got spooked, his grip on her slightly tightening as he started, Judy chuckled softly and nuzzled into his chest. “You can hold my paw if you’re scared,” she whispered to him. Nick snorted but laced their fingers together, his thumb grazing across her knuckles.

            When the credits rolled the two were reluctant to leave, Judy turning in his lap so she could look up at him, “See? That wasn’t so bad.”

“It was cheesy,” he smirked at her.

“Yet it still scared you,” Judy teased lightly. “You nearly crushed my ribs you were holding me so tight.”

“Yeah cause that had nothing to do with me wanting to cuddle,” Nick shot back, his teeth bared in a flirting grin.

“Sly fox,” she admired, leaning forward to bump her nose against his own. “How ever will I escape your sneaky plans?”  
“I _might_ let you go free,” Nick grinned at her, “If you give me a kiss.”

 She sight dramatically, leaning back against his paws and throwing a paw across her forehead, “If I must I must!” 

 Her eyelids drooped as Nick leaned forward, his green eyes dark and lips parted. But before their lips could even brush a loud ring made them jolt. With an aggravated growl Nick placed Judy on the blanket next to him and pulled out his phone.

 “Yes, Mr. Bad Time?” Nick snapped into the phone and Judy knew it was Finnick on the other line. She could hear muffled yelling and Nick’s eyes narrowed. “For your information I was only going to _kiss_ her but then you called…Yes, the movie’s over.” He let out a disappointed sigh, “Alright, on our way.”

 He hung up and gave Judy an apologetic look, “Finnick’s been slumming at the mall. He’s ready for us to pick him up.”  
“No worries,” Judy said, heading to the passenger seat, “It was pretty nice of him to let us borrow the van in the first place.”

 Nick climbed into the driver seat and drove them to the mall. Stepping inside they saw mammals doing some nighttime shopping and socializing. Judy looked around but couldn’t find Finnick, though he was pretty easy to lose in a crowd.

“He said he was in Hog Topic,” Nick told her, catching her wandering gaze. “Let’s go find him before he dies of van withdrawal.”

 Judy obeyed, following the fox through the crowd. But she grabbed his wrist, stopping him, when she spotted something that snatched her attention.

“It’s a photo booth,” she cooed appreciatively.         

“I can’t believe those things still exist,” Nick commented.

 “Let’s take some pictures,” Judy insisted, paw still on Nick’s wrist she pulled him toward the empty booth.

 “We can just take a zelfie if you want a picture,” he pointed out.

“Oh, come on Nick, where’d your sense of class go?” she asked teasingly. “You just took me to a drive-in theater, do you know how old school that is?”

Nick smirked but didn’t resist as she pulled him into the booth, the curtain hiding them from the rest of the world.

            The first photo was of Judy smiling big at the camera, her paws around Nick’s arm and the fox smirking at the screen.

The second one was of Judy pulling Nick’s lips up into a big toothy smile.

The third was of Nick mercilessly tickling her, a playfully evil grin on his muzzle.

The fourth and final was of the fox then pulling her into a heated kiss, the rabbit all too eager to return the passion.

            “Okay,” he admitted as they stepped out of the booth, lips swollen and fur a little unkempt. “I’ll admit that was fun.”

She giggled, handing him one set of the photos while she gazed at her own, “We’re incredibly photogenic.”

 “Oh, I see,” Finnick’s angry voice had them both looking up. The fennec was stepping off the escalator and stomping toward them. “In Date Land, come pick me up means shack up in a photo booth!”

 “Good to see you too,” Nick smirked sardonically at his friend. “FYI, you might need to get some paper towels to clean the stains out of your van.”

 

.

 

            Nick had gotten smacked by both his friend and girlfriend for that comment. Finnick looking openly relieved that his van was perfectly clean as he drove toward Judy’s home. The rabbit and Nick was crowded into the passenger seat, Nick’s tail was wrapped around Judy’s waist, the bunny absent-mindedly playing with the appendage.

When they arrived at Judy’s house Nick escorted her to the door. “So this was a fun first date right?”

“Absolutely,” Judy smiled sweetly up at him.

Nick smiled proudly, his eyes warm, “So you’d be up for going to the winter formal with me?”

The question was said so casually she almost didn’t realize what he had asked. When her brain clicked her smile widened, “I’m your girlfriend, Nick. Going to the formal with you is a no-brainer.”

 “I like to make sure,” he leaned down and pecked her lips one last time. “See you later, Carrots.”

“See you later, Blueberries.”

             Judy walked into her house and Nick climbed back into Finnick’s van, the fennec nearly jumped out of his fur when his friend let out an ecstatic squeal.

  

 


	56. Chapter 56

“Hey, Raja,” Wade walked over to the tiger that was pulling out books from his locker, getting ready for first period. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” Raja offered him a friendly smile as he closed his locker. “Walk with me and tell Big Brother Raja what’s wrong.”

The wolf followed him down the hall, taking a breath before he spoke, “I want to ask Gazelle to the Winter Formal?”

The words made the tiger smile cheekily, “Then get to it Romeo.”  
“But I don’t know _how_ to ask her,” Wade explained with a frustrated groan.

“Hey, Gazelle, want to go to the dance with me?” Raja suggested.

 The wolf looked at him with narrowed eyes, “I want to make it…special. I mean, she’s _Gazelle_.”

Raja smirked knowingly at him, “And you’re scared if you don’t pizzazz it up she’ll grow bored of you.”

Wade nodded, his expression slightly embarrassed.

“Trust me, Gazelle likes you just the way you are,” Raja patted his shoulder. “Just be yourself.”

Wade watched Raja walk away, wishing he had the same confidence in himself.

 

.

 

            “Hey, Gazelle,” Wade greeted her from between first and second period.

She smiled welcomingly at him reaching her fingers out to wrap around his paw, “Hey.”  
“So, I was wondering-” before Wade could finish the bell rang through the hall, muting his words.

Gazelle’s brow knit, “Sorry what was that?”

“Never mind,” Wade murmured, slipping out of her grip. “See you after class.”

 

.

 

            “Wouldn’t know,” Sven said as he and Wade sat in the bleachers. “I didn’t need to ask Charlie.” Said cheetah was jogging around the football field. “Doesn’t Gazelle just naturally assume you two are going to the formal together?”

“I think it shows good character to ask,” Wade replied, his paws in the pockets of his crimson hoodie.”

 “Does it?” Sven asked. He stood up and yelled out to the field, “CHARLIE!”

She skidded to a halt and looked up at the reindeer with her ears pricked.

“WANT TO GO TO THE WINTER FORMAL WITH ME!?” he yelled at her, getting stares from all the other mammals in the field. Wade covered his head with his hood, regretting talking to Sven.

“I THOUGHT WE WERE ALREADY GOING!” Charlie called back, cupping her mouth with her paws.

“JUST MAKING SURE!” Sven yelled, now smiling. “LOVE YOU!”

She rolled her eyes but returned his affection before continuing her run. Sven sat back down and grinned at Wade, “There you go. Follow my example.”

 

.

 

            Wade really didn’t want to scream at Gazelle so he looked for help from other mammals. Winter personally liked Sven’s idea, said it would show that he was brave enough to express his feelings. He had heard that Nick and Judy were going to the dance (big surprise) so he even asked the red fox who tried to give Wade advice but only ended up stuttering, still slightly terrified of the wolf and obviously not believing he was the right animal to ask.  

            Wade was getting frustrated because he really didn’t have anyone else to ask for advice. He should probably work on getting a bigger social circle.

He probably would’ve waited, the dance wasn’t until that weekend, instead going to the library and looking for some _real_ advice. But then he overheard something in the locker room.

He was pulling his shirt back on, fur still damp from his shower when he heard some males talking on the other side of the lockers.

“So are you planning on asking Michelle to the formal?” a voice asked.

“Not gonna ask her,” another said. “I’m gonna ask Gazelle.”

Wade’s paw stilled, leaving his locker halfway open. Those words were meant by silence.

“But uh…” the first voice said. “Isn’t she dating that wolf Jones?”

The second voice snorted, “You actually think that’s gonna last? He’s trash that crawled out of the gutter. She’s one of the most popular pop singers of our time! She’ll dump him soon enough!”  
 “But you’re really going to risk getting that wolf angry? I heard he ripped a gang to shreds once.”

“Please, just rumors. He’s nothing but a gullible little pup if he thinks he can actually go steady with _Gazelle_.”

            If the two had continued talking Wade hadn’t heard, he was already walking out of the locker room and sniffing for Gazelle.

 

.

 

            “Hey!”

Gazelle jumped when Wade yelled out to her. She was in the hallway, talking with Winter and Charlie, classmates walking down the halls, getting ready for the final bell to ring and release them. At least they were, until Wade had spoken.

Now eyes were on him as he walked over to the pop singer, she smiled at him, eyes all sparkly like stars. Wade pulled his own lips to a smile but he was sure it looked pained and uncomfortable.

 “Hi,” she greeted once he reached her, ignoring the looks they were getting. “How was class?”

“It was good,” Wade told her, noticing the pointed looks Winter and Charlie were giving him behind Gazelle’s back. “But I wanted to ask you…” his voice trailed off.

Her ears pricked forward, Winter silently urging him to continue, the stares of their fellow classmates intensified.

Wade took in a deep breath and released it along with a question: “Come to the formal with me?” His voice was strained and loud and he had to dig his nails into his thighs to keep from throwing his hood over his snout.

 Maybe one day Wade would learn to have some confidence in himself and not be surprised by the delighted smile Gazelle blessed him with. She nearly tackled him with her embrace, her voice loud and clear and happy as she told him yes, she’d love to.

 

 


	57. Chapter 57

            It was the day before the Winter Formal. Leodore, who had been in charge of the formal committee along with Dawn, was pretty proud of how it turned out. They had gone with a first day of spring look, the colors of the gym a mixture of bright pinks, yellows, and greens but with a few specks of white to represent the last of the snow. He was proud that this was his last winter formal.

 Now he just needed a date.

            Speaking of dates: a lioness in the committee, Mika Fangshire, was walking over to him, “The gym looks good.”  
“It does,” Leodore agreed, a happy purr rumbling in his throat.

 Mika smiled flirtingly at him, “Say, you wouldn’t happen to need a date for the formal, would you?”

Leodore gave her an apologetic smile, “I’m afraid I’ve already been asked.”

“Oh, boo,” Mika playfully pouted but shrugged, “Oh well, tell me if you change your mind.”

 She walked out of the gym with her tail swishing to and fro.

            Leodore hadn’t been lying, a lot of girls had already asked him to the winter formal. Other lionesses, other members of the committee, and to each one he had politely rejected, telling them he was already going to the formal with someone.

Which he was, he just hadn’t asked her yet.

 

.

 

            Dawn was talking to Percy, the rabbit showing her a picture on his phone of him in the tux he would be wearing to the dance.

“You look so handsome,” Dawn appreciated, smiling at the picture, “I bet Otto will think so too.”

The bunny giggled bashfully, his pink ears turning red, “Hope he doesn’t think I’m an expert dancer.”

“I’m sure he won’t care,” Dawn assured him. “He really likes you, I can tell.”

Percy smiled softly, “It was funny. On Halloween night you were getting tipsy with Leo-”

“Don’t remind me,” the sheep moaned.

“So I went on that haunted trail with Judy and the others, next thing I know zombies are everywhere and the others ran off. I tried to follow but then I get grabbed by this otter zombie, I think he could tell how scared I was so decided to make me laughing by tickling me.” Percy chuckled, “Next thing I know we’re exchanging numbers.” The rabbit’s ears shot up, “Ah, I totally forgot to ask.” He looked at the ewe, “Who’s taking you to the dance?”

 Dawn shrugged, “I’m afraid I’m going stag.”

“Not necessarily,” Leodore suddenly appeared, stepping out of the school’s front doors, Percy and Dawn were sitting on the front steps. He kneeled beside them and gave the sheep a beseechingly look, “Not unless you agree to be my pity date.”

“Pity date?” Dawn echoed in confusion, Percy already beaming at the idea of his friends going together.

Leodore shrugged his shoulders in a helpless manner, “It be a shame if I went to my last formal by myself, but unfortunately no one’s asked me.”

Dawn furrowed her brow; Leodore had always gotten a date to dances before. Why was this any different?

 But the lion was giving her the big-eyed look that he used back when he was a cub to get his way. Dawn’s shoulders drooped in defeat, she had never been able to resist. “If I must,” she answered.


	58. Chapter 58

            Judy ran her paws over her dress, it was made of silk and was a beautiful shade of violet that matched her eyes. It trailed down to her feet, strapless and backless it made her feel elegant and beautiful. She just hoped it made her look it as well.

She stood under a few hanging snow flakes and cherry blossoms with Ben and Fru Fru. The cheetah was wearing a dapper black tux with a big blue bowtie. Meanwhile Fru Fru wore a sparkling silver garb that made it look like she was wearing a dress of shining stars.

Judy had been slightly surprised to learn her two friends were going to the dance together, Ben explained that he hadn’t manage to summon up the courage to ask who he had wanted so Fru Fru had offered herself as a second choice. Ben was grateful.

            “I love this theme,” Fru Fru gushed from atop Ben’s shoulder, smiling at the many colors of the gym, “It’s unique.”  
”And very pretty,” Ben cooed in agreement.

They looked to Judy but the bunny had her eyes on the gym door, her ears pricked and foot tapping in impatient. Fru Fru smirked at her friend, “I doubt she can even hear us. She’s too busy expecting a handsome fox to walk through those doors.”

“Judy,” Ben lightly tapped his friend’s shoulder, causing the rabbit to start.

“Huh?” she looked up at her friends who were smiling knowingly at her.

Ben smiled reassuringly, “Nick’s going to be here soon, don’t worry.”

 “I’m not worried,” Judy insisted. “Just…nervous… And not about whether he’s coming, I _know_ he’s coming.”

 Her words made Ben frown but Fru Fru understood, “You’re nervous that Nick won’t think you’re the prettiest thing he’s ever laid eyes on.”

Judy glanced away with blushing ears and a bashful smile, “Maybe, yeah…but it makes me sound awfully conceited.”  
 “It makes you sound like a girl who wants her boyfriend to think she’s pretty,” Fru Fru corrected sagely.

 

.

 

            Meanwhile across the gym Winter sat at a table, in a snowy blue dress that only reached her knees, her fur freshly groomed and claws painted a dark blue. Like Judy her own blue eyes were on the gym doors. Waiting…

Across from her table sat Sven and Charlie, the reindeer wearing an ice blue tux and Charlie wore a sunny yellow dress, bursts or orange rose up from the skirt of her dress, making the illusion that she wore sunlight. The reindeer and cheetah were currently in their own little world, Charlie admiring his suit and Sven trying to keep from drooling at the sight of her. All the while the three waited for Gazelle and Wade to show up.

            Winter suddenly jumped to her feet, startling Sven and Charlie to attention. They looked at their friend who was now grinning widely, her eyes sparkling and her tail near wagging. They looked over their shoulders to see Nick, Finnick, and Honey walking into the gym. Sven and Charlie smirked at the happy vixen.

 

.

 

            “I can’t believe your dad let you wear a tux,” Finnick told Honey. True enough the badger matched her two fox friends, all of them wearing black suits with bowties. Honey had refused to wear a dress, not being able to stand the things, much to the grief of her father.

 “I’m wearing a rose,” Honey pointed to the flower pinned over her heart. “That’s girly, right?”

 Nick didn’t reply, his attention cutting away from his friends that were going stag and his eyes roaming the gym. When he found what he was looking for his back straightened, his tail giving an involuntarily happy wag and his heart skipped several beats.

            Judy was talking to her friends, smiling that cute little smile that made her nose wiggle. The dress that complimented both her eyes and soft gray fur hugged her body and made her look like an elegant socialite who was expecting a dance with a wealthy rabbit from a respectable family, not some scruffy fox.

Finnick must have sensed Nick’s oncoming insecurity because he yelled out, “JUDY!” catching the rabbit’s attention.

 The bunny whirled around upon hearing her name and smiled brightly when she caught sight of Nick, the fox’s throat became dry. Judy wasted no time in rushing over to him, her friends trailing after.

 “You made it!” she beamed up at him, her eyes sparkling.

Nick’s cocked an eyebrow, “Do you think I wasn’t gonna come, Carrots?”

“No, she was just worried you wouldn’t think she’s pretty,” Fru Fru spoke up from Ben’s shoulder.

 “ _FRU_!” Judy snapped at her friend, her ears turning a dark red, a few of the group sharing small chuckles.

            “Thanks for waiting for me,” Rick’s annoyed voice spoke up as the older fox walked through the gym doors to join the other mammals.

“We couldn’t help it,” Honey shrugged, “Nick nearly jumped out of the van so he could see his sweetie.”

Now it was Nick’s turn to blush.

 “You three wanted me to come along,” Rick pointed out, crossing his arms in disapproval.

“Because this is your last formal and you shouldn’t waste it watching Extreme Births on HD DVD.”

 Rick rolled his eyes before waving at Judy and her friends, the rabbit and cheetah waved back but Fru Fru was too busy smiling at Finnick who returned it with a small smile of his own.

 

.

 

            Gazelle stood at the front doors of the school, wearing a dazzling emerald dress that showed off her legs, looking expectantly at the parking lot as her classmates passed by her, some in pairs, some in groups, some all by their lonesome.

 Raja stood beside her, the other tigers already in the gym. Gazelle was waiting for Wade.

 “Can’t you meet him in the gym?” Raja asked, “He knows where it is.”  
 “I want to walk in with him,” Gazelle told the tiger. “You can go ahead and go inside.”  
Before Raja could speak a familiar truck parked in the lot, Gazelle nearly jumping in delight when she spotted it, her eyes gleaming.

 “Wade!” she called when the wolf jumped out of his vehicle and hurried up to the steps, running his paws over the fur atop his head, trying to straighten his fur.

He offered Gazelle and Raja an apologetic grin, he wore a rented tux, despite it being black it appeared gray against the wolf’s darker coat, a red tie standing out along with his green eyes. “Sorry, I’m late,” he said, still running his claws through his fur in a last ditch effort to tidy himself up.

 “You look great,” Gazelle told him, smiling brightly at the wolf.

Wade returned the smile though much more bashful, his ears pressed against his skull, “So do you.”

            “Alright, alright,” Raja urged the two inside. “You can continue making moony eyes at each other at the dance.”

 

.

 

            “You guys did a pretty awesome job,” Otto cooed appreciatively, leaning against Percy’s shoulder. The two stood next to Dawn and Leodore as they admired the formal, the gym starting to become full as all their classmates arrived.

 The DJ finally started the music, Otto breaking into a grin and grabbing Percy’s paw, pulling the rabbit onto the dance floor before the freshman could say anything.

 “Have fun,” Leo called, lamely waving his paw at the two who were now too far away to hear. He glanced down at the sheep who was wearing an eggshell blue dress that matched her wool, he felt his throat tighten slightly but managed to speak: “You look nice.”

 Dawn looked up at him, giving him a polite and friendly smile, “Thank you, you cleaned up nice as well.”

 Leodore tried to keep his shoulders from drooping in disappointment. The way she said it, to her they were just too friends complimenting each other. Nothing more, he wanted to change that.

  _Then stop being an idiot and tell her how you feel_ , a voice that sounded disturbingly like Lucy snarled in his head.

 

.

 

            When the music had started Ben carried Fru Fru to the dance floor, Judy dragging Nick away as well, cheekily promising she wouldn’t step on his feet. Which left Rick, Finnick, and Honey on the side lines-not that it bothered them, Finnick was sipping some punch, being sure to give it a good whiff to make sure no alcohol had been slipped into it. Rick leaned against the wall, smiling softly at his brother and Judy as they danced around the floor, grinning at each like they were the only animals in the world.

Rick wished May didn’t live so far away, he would’ve invited her to the dance. He had to remember to take a zelfie of himself in his tux to show her, he bet she and Morris would get a good laugh out of that.

All the while Honey was dancing by herself, humming along to the music which amused the two foxes that stood beside her.

            It was then Winter slipped over to the three trying to appear as poised as possible she leaned on the wall next to the badger, “Hey, Honey.”

The words startled the badger who whipped her head to the right to see the vixen, she smiled brightly, “Winter! Hi!”

 “I noticed you chose to not wear a dress,” Winter smirked, looking Honey’s tux up and down, “How so very you.”

Honey bared her teeth in a cheeky smile, “You can’t run in a dress.”

“What are you running from?” the artic fox asked.

“Why my adoring fan club of course,” Honey teased, “Can’t you see all the mammals rushing over to get my autograph? I’m a thicker Gazelle.”  
 Winter laughed heartily, her ears turning red. “Of course, what was I thinking?” She popped Honey on the shoulder but quickly withdrew her paw as if she hadn’t meant to do so. The vixen glanced away shyly, her flaming red ears pressed against her skull. She glanced at Rick and Finnick who were in their own conversation, “Which one’s your date?”

“Neither,” Honey said, looking at the boys and not catching how Winter drooped in relief. The vixen quickly straightened up when Honey turned her attention back to her, “We’re all going stag. You?”

 “Yeah, basically,” Winter replied.

Her words made Honey frown, “How do you not have a date? You’re _Winter Storme_ , you’re one of the prettiest girls in St. Zoo.”

 Winter bit her lip to keep her delighted smile at bay, “I was asked. I just rather not go with anyone specific so I could dance with whoever I please.”

 Honey saw through the excuse, “Sounds to me like you just weren’t asked by the animal you wanted to go with.”

 Winter’s smile faltered before dropping all together, “…Yeah.”  
 “WINTER!” Sven’s loud voice called out. “Come here, Gazelle’s about to sing!”

 Squelching disappointment Winter waved a paw to Honey and quickly hurried to the reindeer’s side.

 

.

 

            Fru Fru left Ben to jump around as Gazelle sang to one of her songs that the DJ had started. A shrew on a mission she scampered around and other bouncing paws and hooves…and made her way straight to Finnick.

 The fennec fox blinked down at her when she stopped before him, Fru Fru even offering a curtsy. “Want to dance with me?” she asked, her eyes big and bright.

“Oh, uh…” Finnick’s ears fell back, for once flushed red. “Sure?”

 Rick, who was smirking at the scene, took Finnick’s punch for him as the small fox followed Fru Fru to a relatively vacant spot on the dance floor.

 She offered him her paw and he reached a finger out for her to grab, letting her twirl around on the floor, Finnick smiling softly as he moved around with her.

            Meanwhile Gazelle was dancing around, singing to her music while others watched. Wade stood with Charlie while Sven and Winter had fetched themselves some drinks.

The wolf was so busy watching the singer that he didn’t take notice of the specific look the gazelle sent Charlie who had been bouncing on her feet.

Grinning the cheetah reached out and grabbed Wade’s paws, spinning him around the dance floor, the wolf let out a noise of surprise but quickly collected himself and spun with her, offering a toothy smile that made the cheetah laugh.

            But when Wade spotted Sven from the corner of his eye, walking back to them he smirked and twirled Charlie around so her back faced him and he pushed the cheetah into the reindeer’s arms.

Charlie looked back at Wade with slight surprise in her expression. Wade shrugged and offered a mischievous grin but all too quickly Winter pulled him into a dance, her own smirk sassy.

 Wade danced around with the vixen for a while, feeling relieved that there wasn’t a trace of fear in her eyes, nor was there in Charlie or Sven’s. Or really anyone who looked at him these days, he was no longer a lone wolf to be feared…all thanks to Gazelle.

            Speaking of the pop singer, Wade had been so preoccupied with not stepping on Winter’s feet he didn’t notice Gazelle skipping over to take the vixen’s place until Winter pulled away from him and suddenly his arms were full of Gazelle.

 “Did you miss me?” she teased, nuzzling his neck before pulling away to smile up at him.

“Like one of my own body parts,” Wade replied.

“Which one?” she asked as she pulled the wolf this way and that.

 _My heart_ , Wade thought but something in him refused to let the words out. Instead he leaned forward and playfully nibbled at her ear and edges of her hair, taking her mind off the question.

Gazelle giggled as she remained pressed against him, her fingers gripping him tightly. The two may have been the object of a few envious stares but neither cared to pay it any mind.

 

.

 

            Judy broke away from Nick as the song ended, catching her breath as her lips hurt from smiling for so long.

“How about we get a drink?” the fox asked, looking as equally worn down. He grabbed her paw and led her to the refreshments table where Fru Fru stood on the table where Winter and Honey were having a chat about one of the badger’s many conspiracies.

            “Finnick didn’t ditch you, did he Princess?” Nick asked the shrew as Judy poured them both the drink. “Just say the word and I can pick him up and drag him back here.”

Fru Fru chuckled at the fox, “No, he just went to the bathroom _after_ he finished the dance with me and excused himself.” She sighed dreamily and clasped her paws together, “He’s a regular day gentlefox.”

Nick snorted at her wording of his friend and Honey elbowed him in the ribs, sending him a stern glare of motherly disappointment.

“Oh, but Judy look,” Fru Fru pointed behind her friend. The rabbit turned around, her cup halfway to her lips, to see Ben dancing with Bogo of all animals. She looked back at Fru Fru with a curious smile.

The shrew grinned happily, “Looks like our chubby cheetah got some courage after all.”

            Judy nodded, happy for her friend, before she sipped from her glass of punch (Nick chugging his entire cup down in one gulp) and noticed Rick still leaning against the wall, his jaws opening up in a yawn. “Has Rick not danced yet?”

“Hasn’t moved an inch,” Honey informed her, giving the fox a pitying look.

“If only May was here,” Nick suddenly said.

 The four girls looked at him. “Who’s May?” Winter asked.

“This girl he met during his internship back in Manehattan.” Nick informed them.

“How do you know that?” Judy asked, it hadn’t look like Rick wanted to share that information with his teasing brother.

 Nick didn’t meet anyone’s eyes, “Well I definitely didn’t snoop through his phone because I _definitely_ didn’t figure out his password is his birthday.”

 Judy decided not to comment on that, instead looking worriedly at Rick, “It’s his last winter formal he shouldn’t be a wallflower.”

“I don’t get how he hasn’t been asked yet,” Fru Fru commented. “He’s so handsome.” She looked up at Nick, “Don’t worry so are you, Nicky.”

The fox smirked at her.

            Winter, who had been swallowing a finger sandwich suddenly lifted her head, her eyes wide. “Light bulb,” she declared. “We’re, me, Honey, Judy, and Fru Fru, are going to dance with Rick.”

 The badger blinked at her, “We are?”

“Yes! Why?” she wrapped an arm around Honey and Judy’s shoulders, pulling the two to her sides, “Cause we’re four of the loveliest ladies to occupy the halls of St. Zoo.”

“Um,” Nick lifted a finger, catching their attention. “What is the boyfriend of the lovely rabbit suppose to do in the meantime?”

 “Sit here and look like you don’t nose around through your brother’s personal belongings,” Judy told him.

 Nick smirked and poured himself some more punch, “Challenge accepted.”

            “Oh, Rick!” the four girls, Fru on Judy’s shoulder, rushed over to the fox who jolted in place when he saw them walking over.

“Hey-hey, girls,” he greeted, taking a few steps back as they neared him. “Can I help you?”

“The question is can _we_ help _you_?” Honey replied.

Winter and Judy each grabbed one of his paws. “Come dance with us!” Fru Fru told him.

“Oh, there’s no need-” his voice ended in a yelp as he was forcefully dragged onto the dance floor. They passed Nick, Rick giving his younger brother a glare.

“All the ladies love you, you dork!” Nick called out to his siblings, toasting him with his punch glass.

 

.

 

            Dawn pulled back the shiny table cloth of the refreshments table, spotting Duke Weaselton holding a flask of what she knew was liquor. The weasel jumped upon spotting the furious looking sheep, putting the flask back in his pocket.

 “Oh no you don’t!” Dawn moved to grab him but Duke quickly slipped out from under the table. She huffed in annoyance before falling down on her knees with an exhausted sigh. She had been so busy chaperoning she hardly had the time to dance or enjoy herself. Maybe she could hide down here for a bit to catch her breath.

            “I mean, I’m pretty, aren’t I?” a voice spoke above her head. It sounded like Mika Fangshire. And she sounded awfully put out.

“Of course you are,” another voice assured, it was the lioness’s friend, a jaguar named Marianne.

“Then why would Leodore not go to the formal with me?” Mika asked. Her words made Dawn tense. “Instead he goes with Bellwether.”  
 “He’s just weird,” Marianne replied. “He’s always been weird when it comes to that sheep.”

“I asked around I wasn’t the only girl to ask him to the dance,” Mika continued. “A lot of girls did but he said no to everyone one of them. But here he is with the _sheep_? I didn’t peg him as a prey-chaser.”

The two felines continued on their way, leaving Dawn under the table and incredibly confused. Leodore had told her no one had wanted to go with him…that he needed Dawn to go with him as a pity date…but it sounds like a lot of girls had wanted to go with the lion. So why…

            “What are you doing?”

She jumped with a squeak as Leodore’s face appeared, lifting the table cloth up to see the sheep, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“My job,” she replied, crawling out from under the table to stand up and straighten the wrinkles out of her dress. “Why don’t you try it sometime? Weaselton nearly spiked the punch _again_.”

Leodore lifted his paws up in surrender, “My bad, didn’t mean to unleash the beast. But how about you take a break?”

 “I’m fine, I’m not tired,” she assured the lion, looking at him and wondering about what Mika and Marianne said.

 “I didn’t say you were, but…” he pointed to the ceiling, indicating to the soft music carrying through the air. “I figured we could share at least _one_ dance before the night is over.”

 He knelt on one knee and offered his paw to her. Dawn only hesitated for a moment before climbing up onto his palm. Leodore stood up and held her close to his mane, the ewe unable to resist burying her face in the soft fur as he swayed to the music. She let out a relaxed sigh.

Whatever that lioness and jaguar had been talking about, she could ask Leodore about it later.

 

.

 

            Charlie was practically snuggled into Sven’s chest, breathing in his scent that reminded her of cool days and a fireplace, it was a cozy scent. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and his hooves were on her hips as they moved to the soft music.

 If Charlie had one qualm about such a nice night it was that her parents thought she had gone to the formal alone, had no idea she was dancing with a reindeer. She wondered, if they could see her and Sven together, if they’d understand. She doubted it.

 Charlie nuzzled into Sven’s neck, causing him to chuckle softly. She wouldn’t let thoughts of her parents ruin her night.

 She pulled away from Sven’s soft fur to kiss him.

 

.

 

            Gazelle was humming to the as she and Wade nearly dominated the dance floor, she had to think the wolf was still taking dancing lessons from Raja and the others.

“I’m so glad you came,” she whispered into his ear, her chin resting on his shoulder.

“I’m glad too,” he replied, his low voice a delicious rumble. “This is fun.”

 Gazelle tightened her arms around him, feeling a wave of fierce affection and gladness come over her.

 Wade blinked, “Gazelle?”

“Sorry,” she loosened her grip against him. “I’m just happy.”

 The wolf chuckled before pulled away to twirl her under his arm and gracefully dip her. Holding her in that position he smiled, flashing his teeth. She returned the grin, as she pressed her forehead against his, little giggles of bliss escaping them both.

 

.

 

            Nick and Judy were having a pleasant time as well. Nick eventually reclaiming his rabbit as the slow song started, he held one warm paw over her back, the other interlaced with her free paw.

“You weren’t too jealous, were you?” she asked the fox as they swayed a little more swiftly than the other couples, “Of me dancing with Rick?”

“No,” Nick said. “I know you two are friends, glad he found another dork to talk with him about that old book.”

 “Hey!” Judy swatted the shoulder she held. “The Evening Society is a marvelous piece of penmanship and you would know that if you cared to read it.”

 “Maybe I’ll have you read it to me?” Nick asked, a glint in his green eyes. “I think that be nice. In your room, surrounded by all your stuffed mammals, snuggling while you read…that sounds really nice.”

Judy smiled softly, “It does.”

            She leaned forward, resting her forehead against Nick’s heart, taking in the scent of his musk, the warmth of his fur. If she hadn’t been standing so close, hadn’t been pressed up against him, she wouldn’t feel how Nick suddenly tensed.

Confused she looked up but he was no longer looking at her, instead he was staring over her head. Judy looked over her shoulder to follow his gaze to the gym doors.

            A vixen was walking inside, dressed in an awfully tight dress; it was green yet so dark it could’ve passed for black. A silver fox had his arm linked with hers, looking terribly smug and pompous. Judy felt like she had seen them before, her eyebrows rose as she realized they were the couple she had seen at the drive-in theater.

 Judy looked back up at Nick, his eyes were on the vixen, but his expression was the hollowest thing she had ever seen and her heart squeeze.

 The vixen’s eyes met Nick and she smiled at him. But it wasn’t a kind smile, it was venomous, cruel, like she found Nick’s hollowed expression the funniest thing on earth. Judy felt her arms tighten around Nick as the fox flinched at the smile, the rabbit had a very strong urge to go over there and punch that vixen in the jaw.

            But instead she turned her attention back to her boyfriend, “Nick?”

He blinked and looked down at her, still looking distracted, “Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” it was an obvious lie. “It’s just…I’m getting kind of bored. Want to get out of here?”  
 Judy decided to go along, “Where?”

Nick forced a smile onto his face, “A secret place.”

 

**Anyway everyone hold on to the fluff while you can because the happy clock is ticking and when it runs out…I don’t wanna talk about it.**


	59. Chapter 59

The Winter Formal was over. Sven was carpooling the girls home, Wade saying goodbye to the group in the school’s parking lot.

“Are you going home?” Gazelle asked softly, holding the wolf’s paw and scared to let go.

He smiled reassuringly at his frightened expression, “I’ve dealt with them all my life, Pop Star, I can handle it. Don’t worry about me.”

But she was. Oh, she was. However she let Wade pull his paw out of her iron grip, he bent down to kiss her softly.

 “This was a really great night,” he whispered against her lips. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

She nodded, “Okay?”

Gazelle didn’t stop waving until his truck was out of the lot.

            Now she sat in the back seat of Mrs. Jingle’s van with Winter, Sven and Charlie taking the driver and passenger seats.

Gazelle had her cheek resting against the window, her mind unable to not think of horror stories of Wade’s parents. The wolf had assured her he spent as little time there as possibly so she tried not to worry. But when she knew he was going there…she just couldn’t help the twisting of her insides.

            Her depressed mood didn’t go unnoticed by her friends.

“You know, Gazelle,” Winter said teasingly. “We may not be Wade but we’re still pretty good company.”  
 “I’m sorry,” she mumbled against the glass, not looking at her friends.

Sven frowned at the rear view mirror, “Gazelle, what’s wrong?”

 She shrunk under the concerned looks of the three. She let out a soft sigh, “Wade’s parents are terrible.”

Charlie let out a snort of amusement while Gazelle’s eyes widened in fear. “I know how that feels,” the cheetah murmured, her voice both amused and bitter.

 But Winter had seen the fear in Gazelle’s eyes, she placed a paw on her shoulder. Gazelle looked at the worried vixen, “I promised him I wouldn’t say anything.”

“You can’t even tell us?” Winter asked softly. “We’re your friends.”  
 “And you wouldn’t believe how many secrets I’m keeping,” Sven said proudly.

 Gazelle’s gut twisted in uncertainty. She promised Wade she wouldn’t tell anyone…but these were her friends they wouldn’t gossip about it. And if she didn’t tell someone soon she’d explode.

“You have to swear, don’t tell anyone and don’t let Wade know I told you.”  
The three swore. Gazelle sucked in a breath and let the awful secret out, “Wade’s parents abuse him.”

 Sven had to keep his eyes on the road but Winter and Charlie looked at the singer with open-mouthed dismay.

“Shouldn’t he call the authorities?” Charlie demanded.

 “He has his reasons for not doing anything,” Gazelle replied. “He’ll leave when he turns eighteen. Please, don’t say anything!”

 “We won’t Gazelle,” Winter assured. “Don’t worry.”

 

.

 

            Charlie was the first to be dropped off, giving Sven one last kiss and waving goodbye to Gazelle and Winter. She waited until her friends had drove off before she walked into her house.

 “I’m home,” she called, stretching her arms and yawning as she headed to her room. She pulled off her dress and fitted herself into some snug pajamas. She had just finished changing when her mother barged into the room without knocking; the older cheetah had a smile on her face.

 “I have wonderful news, Charlotte!”

The words put Charlie on edge, “What is it?”

 “Tanner is willing to give you another chance,” Mrs. Spotwood stated happily.

The words made Charlie’s heart drop in dread. “Does he?”

Her mother nodded, “I already arranged a lunch for you two tomorrow.” She headed to Charlie’s closet, “Now let’s find something _presentable_ for you to wear.”

 “I’m not going,” Charlie’s mouth moved before her brain clicked. But she didn’t take the words back when her mother whirled around to stare at her in surprise.

“Why not? Are you ill?”

“No, I just don’t want to go,” Charlie stated firmly. “I don’t want to date Tanner.”

 Mrs. Spotwood released a tired sigh, “Honestly, Charlotte. Wasn’t it bad enough you went to your winter formal alone, you’d think-”

“I didn’t go alone.”

 Charlie’s words had Mrs. Spotwood blinking. “You didn’t? Why did you lie? Who did you go with?”

 Charlie forced herself to meet her mother’s eyes, “I went with my boyfriend, Sven Jingle.”

 Her mother’s jaw went slack, for a moment, then her face twisted in anger, “You did _what_?”

“You heard me,” Charlie growled, her mother’s anger fanning her own flames. “I, a cheetah, am dating a reindeer!”  
 “What is _wrong_ with you!?” her mother snarled. “I told you, more than once, that a predator and a prey can’t be together!”

 “You’re wrong, Mom! I love Sven, I don’t care that he’s a reindeer and he doesn’t care I’m a cheetah!”

 Mrs. Spotwood snorted, “You’re _teenagers_! You haven’t gotten out to the big scary world, haven’t seen your friends become parents! You’re going to waste your life with him and regret every second!”

“No-I- _won’t_!”

Mrs. Spotwood glared at her daughter’s stubborn expression, “Young lady if you are going to live under this house then you’re going to date one of your own kind.”

 Her words had Charlie’s heart falling to her feet, staring at her mother, at the cheetah who raised her, with a heartbroken expression. She took in a shuddering breath then spoke, “Fine.”

 Charlie walked past her mother and out what was once her bedroom door.

 “Where are you going?” her mother demanded.

“I’m not going to leave someone I love just because you don’t approve,” Charlie said, not turning back. “I’m sorry you’re love life was so horrible you had to dictate mine. But I’m not going to throw true love away. Tell Dad I said bye.” She reached the door of her house and halted, just a second, to look over at her mother. “…Goodbye, Mom.” And then she was out the door.

 

.

 

            Leodore escorted Dawn to her doorstep. “That was fun, hm?” he asked the sheep, smiling down at her.

Dawn nodded up at him, “Yes, it was.” Her brow knitted, she still needed to ask him about what Mika and Marianne had been talking about…

 “I should probably be going,” Leodore pointed behind his shoulder, “Before my dad sends Lucy to hunt me down, none of us want that.”  

 “So you were fine with having a pity date,” Dawn spoke up before the lion could leave.

Leo looked back at her, blinking, “Uh, yeah. It was fine.”

 “Even though you didn’t have to,” Dawn pointed out.

Those words made Leo’s eyes widened, “Huh?”

“I overheard that Mika Fangshire asked you to the dance,” Dawn said. “And she wasn’t the only one.”

Leodore looked temporarily panicked; he looked out to the street as if he planned to run away. “Is that so?”

“Why did you lie to me?” Dawn asked, not angry or upset, just downright confused.

“I wouldn’t call it lying…the mammal I _wanted_ to ask me didn’t ask.”

 “Okay but that doesn’t explain why you asked me,” Dawn pointed out. Leodore’s forced smile dropped at those words, he looked Dawn up and down and she realized that she had missed something. Her brain went over their conversation, over the words they had shared.

            The mammal he wanted to go with didn’t ask him…but he asked her…Dawn jolted in place, her eyes nearly falling out of her skull.

Leodore flinched at her reaction.

 “Sorry,” Dawn laughed, rubbing at the wool on the back of her head. “I just had a thought…it’s ridiculous, never mind.”  
 “What was it?”

“You’d laugh at me,” Dawn shook her head, turning to head inside. “I need to get some sleep.”

“Dawn…” Leodore’s voice was scared, insecure, something that didn’t fit the lion and it unnerved her.

“Goodnight, Leo.”  
 “Dawn!”

            He grabbed her waist; it fit easily in his large paw. Dawn let out a noise of surprise as he whirled around. But the sound was quickly muffled as the lion smashed his lips against hers. It was like firecrackers lit up inside her, her nerves crackling and her heart bursting.

All too quickly (or was it not quick enough?) Leodore pulled away, his expression unreadable.

“I like you, Dawn. As more than a friend, and I wanna believe you like me too.” He stood up, his thumb trailing over his bottom lip. “But I want you to think about it, really think about it, before you give me an answer.” He smiled apologetically at her. “See you later, Lamb.”

He left Dawn, blinking dumbly, on her doorstep.

 

.

 

            Judy couldn’t see. The reason being that Nick had been her close her eyes. They had left the school on foot, Nick not wanting to ‘borrow’ Finnick’s van and leave his friends stranded. He led her down a street called Snarl Way, it was clearly one of the older streets of Zootopia, hardly used now.

Judy kept close to Nick’s side, slightly unnerved by the dark, abandoned streets. Her jumpy nerves didn’t stop when Nick asked her to close her eyes.

 She scowled up at the fox, “If you wanted to kill me we passed a dark alleyway a few minutes ago.”

 Nick chuckled at her joke, “Come on, Carrots. Trust me. This is a secret place, only Finnick and Honey know about it and we have to keep its location classified. _But_ I trust you to see it and join in on the secret…and you have to keep your eyes closed so you can see it all at once.”

 Judy still felt dubious but Nick’s eyes were sparkling and he looked like a kid who was eager to give a gift to a family member. She rolled her eyes before closing them, placing one paw over the sealed lids. Nick grabbed her paw and led her forward.

            They had walked for a few minutes before she felt the smooth cement of the sidewalk change into the pocked gravel of a parking lot. A moment later she heard Nick open a door.

“Can I open my eyes now?” she asked.

“No, not yet,” Nick breathed, his voice tight with excitement.

 There was more walking, Nick led her down a few narrow steps and she had to use all her willpower to keep her eyes closed as the cool stone of the steps was replaced by…smooth dirt?

 “What about _now_?” she asked.

  Nick released her paw as he stepped a few feet away, “Okay…now!”

            Judy opened her eyes and instantly her jaw dropped.

“Carrots,” Nick beamed at her, “Welcome to Wilde Times.”

 


	60. Chapter 60

_Three Years Ago_

 

            Fourteen year old Nick walked wit his older friend, Finnick through the desolate Snarl Way. Despite its dark alleys and moonless night Nick welcomed it. He could no longer sit at home, completely aware of the emptiness where his farther was supposed to be…

 The young fox shook his head; he hadn’t called his new best friend out for a walk to think about Max. He only wanted a distraction.

“So…” Finnick began as the two walked through the dim street. “Was it in your plans to get murdered and have your body dumped in an alley? Because there’s an eighty percent chance that’s gonna happen.”  
            Nick opened his mouth to tell his friend to not be so paranoid when a sudden dark shape pounced out of the shadows, landing right in front of them, causing the two boys to scream.

 The figure screamed as well before the light of flashlight flared on, illuminating the face of a female honey badger.

She looked to Nick’s age, thick-boned and wearing thick black clothes, and a hat with a video camera on it. She pointed the too bright beam of the flash light in the foxes’ faces, making them blink and squint.

 “Are you ghosts?” she demanded of them.

“What?” Finnick balked.

“What sort of unfinished business do you have?”

“We’re not ghosts!” Nick snapped, using his arm to protect his eyes from the harsh glare of the flashlight.

 “A likely story!” the badge replied and suddenly reached out to pinch Finnick’s ear. She pulled back in surprise when the fennec let out a yelp of pain. “Oh, you’re alive…bummer.” She flicked off the flashlight, Nick’s eyes slowly readjusting to the twilight.

 The badger offered them a grin, by no means was it apologetic, “Sorry about that, just weird to find the living in Snarl Way.”

“ _You’re_ here,” Finnick pointed out, massaging his pinched ear.

She snorted, “Yeah but I’m looking for the non-living.” She offered a wide paw to Nick who accepted it cautiously; she shook his paw with violent enthusiasm. “Pleased to meet ya, I’m Honey Sweetiepie Madge, but you can just call me Honey. I’m a hunter of the truth.”

 “Hunter of the truth?” Nick echoed.

“Sweetiepie?” Finnick copied.

 The badger’s grin turned a shade of bashful, “My dad gave me the middle name Sweetiepie cause when I was a baby I was nummy nummy and he could just eat me up. But what is a hunter of the truth you might ask?” She leaned forward, washing her face with the flash light’s glow and giving herself an eerie expression, “I chase down what society hides, the experiments…the other worlders…the spirits… I will find what the world tries to hide.”

 Finnick and Nick exchanged uncomfortable expressions. This girl was crazy.

 “Actually it’s a good thing you two popped up. I could use some helpers.” She turned around and pointed down the street, “There’s an old medical clinic where the spirits of passed patients roam.” She turned back to the boys with an inviting grin, “Wanna help?”

“Sure,” Nick shrugged, getting an affronted look from Finnick. “Lead the way, Honey Bunch.”

 The badger squealed ecstatically and jogged down the street, Nick followed after and Finnick trailed along. “Any specific reason why we’re following an escaped asylum patient?” the latter asked.

“She’s a distraction,” Nick said simply. Finnick didn’t say more.

            They arrived at the clinic, a small square shaped building, the words above the glass doors faded over with time. Honey opened the door for the two and ushered them inside, Nick walked in but Finnick said he’d go after the badger.

Inside it was darker than the street but his night vision quickly helped him adjust, seeing a few old chairs strewn here and there, a desk for patients to check in, a few rooms that had dusty infirmary beds. He wondered how long it had been since this clinic had seen a patient?

 Honey and Finnick stayed with him, the badger muttering under her breath, calling out to the ‘ghosts’ of the clinic and stating she should’ve brought her ouija board. Finnick was careful in keeping a few feet distance from her.

            “There’s nothing here,” Nick said, unable to keep a tinge of disappointment from his voice. He had hoped there would’ve been _something_ to catch his attention.

Sighing he leaned against a wall…only to have it slide open and suddenly the fox was following. He tumbled down a set of small steps and landing on his back in what felt like sand and dirt.

 “Nick!” Finnick’s concerned voice rang out to the red fox as he stood up. He looked around where he had landed, his jaw dropping in utter astonishment and awe.

“You guys…” he called out to them. “You won’t believe what I’m looking at right now.”

 

.

 

            Judy’s eyes looked like they would fall out of her head as she stared at the underground amusement park before her. At all the different games and rides, she blinked in disbelief as she made out the roar-a-coaster and Fierce-ish Wheel. Meanwhile Nick was grinning like a little kid on Christmas, excited to show the bunny what only he and his friends knew.

 “How did…” she began but was unable to finish the words.

“So when Finnick, Honey and I found this we went to the library to find the medical clinic,” Nick began. “We did and turns out it was open back during the TAME collar era and ran by a few predators. I found one of the owners, a wolf, living in a nursing home and told him we found it. He said he and his friends were making it a special place for the predators to take off their collars and have some fun! But before he and his friends could finish it the TAME collars were abolished and they didn’t see the need to anymore. I told him how we wanted to fix it up, how we thought it was the neatest thing and I guess I ended up subconsciously charming him cause the next thing I knew he said he’d leave it to us in his will.” He beamed in pride at the park, “That’s why we do our cons, we’re saving up not only to fix this place up but to take some much needed business classes. We already got a few things working again, a few games; the roar-a-coaster is going to be the biggest hassle but I think we can do it…” his voice trailed off and he looked at Judy, waiting for her to say something.

 But after a few moments passed and she stayed silent Nick’s ears fell flat against her skull, and his tail drooped with disappointment. “I know it’s not much,” he admitted quietly. “It’s a work in process, you have to-”

 “ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?” Judy suddenly shrieked, making Nick jump. “You have an _underground amusement park_ ; you’re officially the coolest animal I know!”

The words brought Nick’s smile back in place, “Naturally.”

 She rushed into the heart of the park, Nick tailing after her. “Can we play something?” she asked, jumping around like she was eight years old.

 “Sure,” Nick said, just as excited. He looked around the park, going over his mental list of the games they had already fixed. But Judy was already heading toward one game, when Nick saw what it was he raced after her in panic. “Carrots, wait!”

 The game was called Bop-A-Bunny. Loyal to it’s namesake the point of the game was to bop a plastic bunny in the head with a rubber hammer.

 Nick offered an apologetic smile, “Remember this was supposed to be a predators only park so some of the games are a little…controversial. We plan on replacing the ones that could push some buttons.”

 “How do I start it?” Judy asked her eyes on the game.

Nick blinked in surprise but started the game for her. As soon as he did Judy grabbed the hammer and whacked a brown rabbit with so much aggression the plastic figurine almost broke.

 “Uh…Carrots,” Nick gave her a weird look.

Judy smiled evilly at the brown rabbit, she pointed at it, “That looks just like Megan Jumper.”

“Megan who-huh?”

“This _awful_ girl I knew in middle school. Said I wouldn’t make it in Zootopia.”

Judy continued to hit the brown rabbit with a vengeance, ignoring the other bunnies and speaking through gritted teeth: “Who’s. A. Loser. _Now._ Megan?” The game ended and she dropped the hammer with a satisfied expression, “And I _know_ you made out with Dustin Hopper for the _specific_ reason that I had a crush on him.”  
 Nick curled his nose at the words, “Dustin Hopper?”

She smiled up at him, nuzzling into his side, “Don’t worry. You’re much more handsome and _he_ doesn’t have a secret amusement park.”  
 “Oh,” Nick teased, leading her onward. “So you just like me for my roar-a-coaster.”

 

.

 

            The next thing they tried was a dancing game called _So You Think You Can Prance?_ Which Judy challenged Nick to a dance duel. The fox was quick to accept the challenge, and while Judy was more limber on her feet Nick had the advantage of experience. He had played the game with Honey many times before, and although Judy gave him a run for his money Nick came out the winner.

“Aw, don’t be upset,” Nick smirked at Judy’s pout. “I’m sure there are other things you’re good at.”

            The next thing they tried was Jump N’ Stick, it wasn’t Nick’s favorite thing but there was only so many rides that were usable. But when he shot that rabbit through the air and walked over to the stretched Velcro, her wide smile was enough to light up the entire room.

            There was a karaoke room called Howl Along, it wasn’t fixed yet but the two wasted some time holding non-working microphones and doing their best imitation of a howls that would probably make wolves’ ears bleed.

            Judy jumped into the Yarn Pit, resting on the balls and balls of soft, multi-colored spheres (that Nick and his friends had collected since day one), the fox batting the yarn around like he was a feline.

            Then there was a rock climb, Judy had told Nick how she had read about the ZPD Academy training and climbing was one of the obstacles. Those words in the air Nick brought out his inner coach and urged Judy to climb the wall. The rabbit did so, though in her haste to prove her worth she slipped on one of the last footholds and Nick had to scurry to catch her, landing on his tail when she landed on top of him, impact sending them both down.

 Judy quickly jumped off the fox, “I’m sorry, Nick!”

“No problem,” Nick gave her a thumbs up, ignoring the aching of his back. “You’re light as a feather. But…let’s find someplace to relax for a while, huh? My feet are still sore from dancing at the formal.”  
 “Sure,” she replied, looking around. “Where would you recommend?”

            His recommendation was the Fierce-ish Wheel that also did not work, but the two managed to climb up to the top cart, resting on the torn leather seats. Nick let out an easy sigh, resting his feet on the edge of the cart and crossing his ankles, his elbows resting on the back of the seat. Judy sat down next to him and looked up, smiling when she noticed the twinkling light bulbs on the dark ceiling that made it look like they were sitting under stars.

“This is absolutely amazing,” Judy breathed, leaning against the leather and looking around the park. “I can’t believe you found something like this.” She looked up at him, “Thank you for trusting me with this.”

Nick smiled tenderly at her, “You’ve upgraded to level five dating, Carrots. That comes with my secrets.”

 Judy giggled slightly but after a moment her smile dropped from her lips and she looked thoughtful. It made Nick feel edgy, “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” she assured. “It’s just…I really am happy you wanted to show me this. But it’s not the secret I want to know about.”

 Nick’s brow furrowed, “What secret _do_ you want to know about?”

“Who was that vixen at the formal?”

 Those seven words made Nick flinch, having to stop his walls from rising. Not to Judy, not to her. “She…her name is Sue.”

“And?” Judy inquired.

Nick swallowed, forcing the next words out: “She’s my ex.” Judy remained silent and he kept talking, “I uh, met her not long after my dad left. I thought she was beautiful, smart; sweet…she filled the hole he left. When Dad left I was scared love was a sham…but she made me believe again.” Nick expression twisted painfully, “But then I found out I was boyfriend number three.”

 Judy’s jaw dropped, her eyes wide in horror, “Oh, _Nick_.”

“Don’t,” he pleaded. “It’s fine.” He pulled up a cheerful smile, “That was years ago and I’m more of a in the now kind of guy.”  
 “I’m sorry,” Judy breathed.

Her words had him faltering, his smile dropping. “For what?” he asked, not looking at her. “You didn’t do anything.”

“And I’m sure you didn’t either,” Judy replied. She studied Nick’s broken expression for a moment. From the corner of his eye he could see a frightened caution in her eyes that made him turn his head to meet her gaze.

 “What is it?”

“I…I was just wondering…” she glanced away, “Do you…that is…are you still in love with her?”

 The question made Nick straightened up, his eyes pricked and his expression genuinely surprised as he looked down at the rabbit. By her worried appearance and the way she seemed to shrink into herself, the question was completely serious.

Nick’s lips turned up into a tender smile, softly shaking his head. _Dumb bunny_.

            He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to his side, “Hey, _I have something to believe in, now that I know you believed in me_ -”

“Oh, don’t,” Judy nudged him, a smile back in place. “You’re such a dork.”

Nick chuckled, his grip around her shoulder tightened, “I don’t care about Sue anymore…Why should I? I have a new girlfriend whose much cuter.”

“Don’t call me cute,” Judy grinned. She then let out a noise of frustration, “You know the moment I saw her I wanted to punch her in her face, if only I didn’t listen to my common sense.”

 Nick threw his head back and laughed harder, what a sight that would’ve been. When his mirth settled down Judy burrowed into his side, enjoying the view that laid out before them.

            “Nick,” Judy spoke up after a few minutes, “How do we get down?”

“We don’t,” he replied, his voice solemn.

“No, seriously,” she replied, looking over the cart, “How?”

“I am serious, Fluff,” Nick insisted. “We’re going to die up here.”


	61. Chapter 61

Nick did eventually show her how to get down. He asked her if she wanted to head back but by the look on the fox’s face he wasn’t ready to go. Despite his words Judy imagined seeing Sue had shaken him up more than he wished to admit.

“We can stay longer,” she assured him, “Let me just text my aunt.”

She sent a message to her Aunt Weiss, telling her she was spending the night at Fru Fru’s. She then texted the shrew and told her to go along with the white lie if her aunt called. After sending the final message Judy quickly turned her phone off, knowing Fru Fru would bombard her with questions once she received the text.

“However,” Judy cringed at her now wrinkled dress. “I would’ve brought something more comfortable had I known this was going to happen.”

Nick looked thoughtful for a moment “I got something, follow me.”

            She did so, the fox leading her to an office with an old desk that stood before a large window that had a close view of the roar-a-coaster. The only other thing in the room was a large mattress in the corner of the room, covered in thick blankets and large pillows.

“I sometimes spend the night here,” Nick explained as he opened one of the desk’s drawers. “So I keep a few clothes down here.” He pulled out an old black tee.

He offered it to Judy, it would reach down to her knees, she ran her fingers over the comfortable, well-worn fabric. She made to pull off her dress but then noticed Nick was still looking at her. She cleared her throat loudly and the fox started, not realizing he was staring, and turned his back to her.

            Judy slipped the dress off herself, placing it on the floor next to the mattress, and then pulled the shirt on. It fell off one of her shoulders and she couldn’t help inhaling deeply, the shirt was drenched in Nick’s musk. And true to her assumption it fell to her knees, it was like she was wearing a night gown.

“Okay, I’m decent,” Judy told Nick, walking over to him. He looked down at her, examining her in his shirt, he smiled.

Judy climbed on top of the desk, sitting down and looked out the window; Nick leaned against the desk and enjoyed the view with her. “So…this will be your office?”

“Yep,” he replied, “I’ll sit here in my large leather rolling chair and just bask in how awesome I am.”

Judy laughed, her feet swaying back and forth. Nick grinned at her, “Hey, if being a cop doesn’t work I could use a sexy secretary.”

Judy smirked at him, “You’d get a lot of sexual harassment files, Mr. Wilde.”

He gasped in dismay, “Carrots! You’re saying you _wouldn’_ t love to be charmed by me every single day for the rest of your life?”

“I think you have too much confidence in your flirtation skills,” Judy teased before putting on a playfully thoughtful look. “But I wouldn’t say no to being _catered_ every single day for the rest of my life.”

 Nick moved to face her, resting his elbows on the desk and caging her in, he placed his chin in his palms and grinned wolfishly, “I could get used to being the servant of a bunny. I bet there are plenty… _perks_.”  He wagged his tail.

 “The perk would be getting to spend all day with me-” her words ended in a yip as Nick suddenly reached forward to nibble her throat, having grown tired of the teasing foreplay. Lighting went up her spine as she leaned into his lips, shamelessly enjoying the way his teeth pricked her skin.

 His paws started to roam as Judy pulled his mouth up into a kiss, their eyes sliding shut. Nick ran his paw down her back, his fingers starting to toy with her tail.

 Judy yelped, startling the fox who pulled back, his wide eyes blinking. “Fluff?”

“You-um…you pulled my tail,” Judy mumbled, her mouth dry and her nerves raw. When he had pulled at her cottontail a bolt of pleasure had shot through her, making her cry out.

Nick grinned at her flustered expression but released her tail, placing his paw on the desk, “It’s just so fluffy.” He bumped her nose against his own, “I couldn’t resist.”

Judy smiled at him, her eyes shimmering but a moment later her smile dropped and her expression turned thoughtful. It made Nick pull away, his expression concerned, “What’s wrong now?”

 “It wasn’t easy to share all this with me, was it?” she asked softly, her ears draped across her back. “Your father…Wilde Times…Sue…it wasn’t easy to talk about.”

“Well, no,” he admitted, looking put out by the sudden topic change. “But you deserved to know-” his voice cut off suddenly and he swallowed in a painful matter. But Judy was too busy with her own thoughts to wonder about it.

 “Nick…” Judy began softly, the fox pricked his ears. “What do you know about rabbit courtship?”

“Surprisingly little,” he replied. He tilted his head to the side, “Why?”

 Judy swallowed, unable to meet the fox’s eyes, her ears red and her skin flushed. “W-Well…sometimes, when a buck wants to get a doe’s attention he’ll chase her around. And if she wants to m- _mate_ with him she…” her last words ended in a incoherent mumble.

“I’m sorry what?” Nick leaned forward to hear better, his eyes wide and curious.

Judy’s tongue darted out to lick her lips before she whispered, “She’ll hit him in the jaw…”  
 It took Nick a second to comprehend her words, when he did his eyes bulged and he pulled back in surprise. Judy covered her ears over her eyes, making a strained noise of mortification.

“Wow,” was all he said.

 “I know I know!” Judy moaned, still hiding behind her ears. “But you were just being so _open_ with all your personal life history and I just couldn’t hide that from you!”

 “So then…you want to mate with me?”

 Judy tried to shrink into herself, squirming with embarrassment. A moment later she felt Nick’s paws grab her wrists and pull away from her ears. He smoothed said ears out of her eyes so he could look her in the face.

“Judy,” Nick breathed, his breath warm against her neck, his eyes searing.

It was like the look back in Bunnyburrow, when she had pulled away from his kisses to see his eyes dark with want. She hadn’t wanted to pull away but they couldn’t have done more with her family right outside the door. But now…now he was giving her the exact same look, and they were all alone.

“Judy,” he breathed again, coming to the same conclusion. He broke the distance between them, his lips sliding over hers.

            This kiss was deeper than the other; Judy felt a moan rise as she tasted him, her tongue running across his teeth, her hands grasping his shoulders.

Eventually Nick’s fingers slipped under her thighs, lifting her off the desk. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs caging his waist. Judy kissed his neck as he moved; unaware of her surroundings, barely aware he _was_ moving. She was too enveloped in the fox’s taste and scent.

 She let out a whine of disappointment when he pulled her away, only to realize he was placing her on the mattress. Nick laid his body over her, his weight comfortable and warm and sent her nerves sizzling. His lips trailed down her mouth, cheek, throat, and shoulder, slipping his paws under her shirt and massaging her hips. Judy’s breath came out in heavy gasps, running her fingers across his ears and neck, wrapping her legs around his hips and urging him closer. Nick let out a delicious whimper as he felt how hot she was.

They spent a few minutes simply touching, running their fingers through each other’s fur, Judy’s shirt slipping off her shoulders in the process. Nick whispered hotly against her ear, breathing her name and soft nothings that made her toes curl.

            Getting Nick to shed his own clothes was a slower process, as he refused to stop caressing any patch of fur he could reach, his lips never leaving her skin. But eventually he caught the hint and he carelessly tossed his tux down next to Judy’s dress.

When his bare chest pressed against her it was like fireworks shot off, and feeling the pounding of his own heart she knew the fox was getting just as carried away.

The blanket ended up over them as they kept kissing, touching, pushing. Judy had her muzzle buried in his neck when the fox suddenly pulled away with a start that had her blinking dazedly and for a second she was afraid he had changed his mind. But his eyes weren’t full of regret or doubt. They were full of hesitation and…realization.

Realization that he was the first animal to ever see Judy like this, that if they continued he would take something that couldn’t be given back. But Judy urged him to go on, she wanted this, she wanted _him_ , it meant nothing if it wasn’t him.

 Nick, despite himself, didn’t resist for long, his mind already mad with the scent, touch, and taste of the rabbit underneath him. That madness only increased as he destroyed the barrier and felt her, _truly_ felt her.

Judy let out a cry of pain and Nick hugged her to him, whispering assurances in her ear, caressing her cheek. Finally she told him she was alright, she told him to keep going. He didn’t need to be told twice.

Their heavy breathing and moans filled the otherwise quiet office, interrupted once or twice by Nick’s words of concern. After all he was a fox and Judy was a bunny, he didn’t want to accidentally hurt her in anyway. But every time she would assure him she was okay, it felt amazing, or she would kiss him in reassurance, euphoric moans escaping from between their lips.

Until finally Nick stopped asking, focusing on Judy and the feel of her around him, his breath coming in pants and her appreciative and passionate noises were blowing into his ear. It was a wonder they lasted as long as they did.

            It first crashed over Judy, the rabbit letting out a cry of pure ecstasy as she clung to the fox, digging her fingers into his fur, her legs still wrapped around his hips.

The waves of pleasure were quick to drown Nick who dug his claws into the mattress and gritted his teeth against the moan that slipped through his fangs. For a moment all the two young lovers saw were stars.

            Then their bones turned into liquid, chests heaving as they caught their breath. Nick laid on his side and pulled Judy into his arms, the rabbit nuzzled against his bare chest. No words were said, no words were needed; the two closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep.

 

.

 

            When Judy woke up she could sense it was still night, she had not slept for long. Yet it took her a moment to remember where she was, who had his arms around her, and why certain places ached the way they did.

She blinked her eyes open and looked up at Nick who still slept, his mouth partly open and his face peaceful. She smiled tenderly at the fox, fierce affection plunging into her heart and not leaving. It was truly amazing what could happen over a short span of time. At the beginning of the year she had quickly abhorred the sarcastic fox but now…now she was lying in his naked arms and she couldn’t be happier.

 She reached her paws out to trace his muzzle, thinking of how much the fox trusted her, how much she trusted him, how she didn’t regret any of the things that had happened because they led to where she was now…Judy’s smile slowly dropped.

            Just then Nick’s snout wrinkled and he blinked his eyes open, Judy pulled back her paw. He yawned and stretched slightly, when his eyes found Judy he smiled in a sleepy yet very happy way.

“Morning, Carrots,” he greeted.

“It’s not morning yet,” Judy informed him softly. She turned around, knowing her phone laid next to her dress, “I can check the time if-”

Nick pulled her back to him, “I’ll take your word for it, Fluff.”

“Heh,” Judy mumbled, not relaxing against the fox’s chest like he expected her to. Her nerves were on haywire and her throat felt dry.

 Nick sensed her discomfort. He moved to rest on his elbows so he could look down at her face; she was looking at the far wall. “Carrots?”

 Judy’s eyes were glittering with hesitation, uncertainty, Nick’s claws dug into the mattress and she felt the muscles of his body constrict.

 She looked over her shoulder as Nick moved back, now _he_ wasn’t looking at her, his expression frustrated and broken. “You said…” he began, “I would’ve stopped if you…”  
 “That’s not it Nick,” she assured him.

 He looked at her, “Then what is it.”

 Judy let out a soft sigh, she was about to make things incredibly awkward. She sat up, making sure the blanket covered her modesty though there was really no need for it, he had already seen her.

 Judy looked at Nick, her expression unsure, struggling, she blinked then spoke: “I-I think I’m in love with you.”

            Nick’s jaw dropped, his eyes bulging, just as Judy had expected. She turned away with another sigh before trying to smile apologetically, “Aaand I made it weird, sorry.” She moved to craw off the bed and fetch her dress, “Just ignore what I said, it’s not important. You know us bunnies, we’re really emotional-”

Nick grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him, her muzzle muffled against his neck as he held her tightly, it was almost painful.

“N-Nick?” her voice was muffled against his fur.

 He started to shake with emotion

 Judy wrapped her arms around him, running her paws across his shoulders to ease him, to ease herself. She closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulder, her fluttering heart no longer filled with unease.


	62. Chapter 62

Winter blinked in surprise when she opened her door and saw Charlie, still in her formal dress and looking dejected.

“Uh…” the vixen began uncertainly. “Good evening?”

Charlie smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes, “Can I come in?”

 Winter stepped back to allow her friend to pass the threshold, closing the door behind her. The arctic fox was already in her fluffy ice blue pajamas decorated with pink clouds. “Not that I don’t love having you but it’s a little late,” Winter said, even though the vixen hadn’t planning on going to sleep anytime soon.

 Charlie sat on the rug of the living room floor, wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her chin on her knees. Winter jolted in fright when she saw the watery look in the cheetah’s eyes.

 “Charlie!” she knelt down next to her, “What’s wrong?”

“I told my mom I’m dating Sven,” she explained.

Winter’s eyebrows rose, “And how’d she take it?”

Charlie laughed bitterly, “How did you _think_ she took it? She started screaming about how prey and predators couldn’t be in a relationship, that Sven and I are too young to understand love, said I couldn’t live under her roof if I’m dating him.”

 Winter’s jaw dropped, “She kicked you out?!”

“No, I left,” she looked up at Winter beseechingly. “Can I stay here for a while?”

 “Of course, but why not stay with Sven?”

“I really don’t want to involve any more parents into this right now,” the cheetah explained. Winter’s parents always traveled so the vixen basically lived on her own.

“Okay,” Winter said, lying on her stomach across the rug, “When will you tell Sven?”

“I’ll call him tomorrow,” Charlie said, lying down next to her. “He’s probably asleep; you know he’s the only teen alive who actually obeys his curfew.”

 Winter snickered, her eyes fond, “That’s our Sven.”

            They were silent for a few minutes, both struggling to figure out what to say next, whether they should talk about what Charlie should do next or if they should change to a more light-hearted topic to distract themselves.

Finally Charlie decided by giving a knowing smirk to her friend, “So you finally talked to Honey.”

 Winter’s ears flushed and her expression turned bashful, “I talk to her all the time.”

“No you don’t.”

 The fox made a frustrated noise, “Well, anyway I _did_ talk to her. Not much just chatted a bit.”

 “About what?” Charlie asked.

“…She called me pretty,” Winter said, her voice quiet yet gleeful.

“Aw,” Charlie cooed.

“She was probably just being nice,” Winter laid her chin on her paws, “I don’t know if she really likes me like that. The irony, huh? I could get any single guy at St. Zoo but…not Honey.”

 “Don’t jump to conclusions,” Charlie urged her friend, butting her shoulder affectionately. “Honey hardly shows fondness like other mammals, she’s…different.”

“That’s why I like her,” Winter said. “She’s not like anyone I know. Plus, she was one of the few mammals to like me when I wore braces and had glasses too big for my face.” She smiled at Charlie, “Besides you and Sven. But when I asked Honey how I looked with no braces and contacts she told me I looked great no matter what and my heart just went-” she made an exploding gesture.

 Charlie laughed, that was similar to how she felt about Sven, whenever he was in sight it was like her heart would break through her ribcage. The thought of the reindeer reminded her how she had basically disowned her family; her smile fell into a frown.

Winter must have sensed her friend’s mood change because now it was her butting her friend’s shoulder. “Don’t worry,” she reassured Charlie. “Me, Sven, Gazelle, we have your back. You might feel guilty or that you made the wrong decision…but true love is never the bad choice.”

 

 


	63. Chapter 63

Wade walked into the school, stretching out the drowsiness from his limbs, pulling his lips back into a wide yawn. He had treated himself to a lot of naps that weekend.

He walked down the hall, his ears pricked and nose twitching as he passed classmates who no longer flinched at the sight of him. For once he wasn’t looking for Gazelle, at least not just her. He was also looking for her friends.

Last night he had been called by Gazelle who informed him what had happened with Charlie and her parents, after a moment of wishing he was as brave as the cheetah he had offered his condolences. Now he wanted to check on her and Sven, knowing the big hearted reindeer was probably blaming himself for the entire thing.

            The first he spotted was Winter who was strolling down the hall.

“Winter wait,” he called, catching up to her.

The vixen smiled with friendliness, “Hey, Wade.”

“How’s Charlie and Sven?” he asked her.

She sighed sadly, “Both shaken up but they’ll be okay. Of course Sven thinks he’s not worth her giving up her home for him.”  
 “I’d give up my home for Gazelle,” Wade said absentmindedly. But his words made the arctic fox flinch, he gave her a weird look but the vixen was looking him over in an almost scrutinizing way that made him uneasy.

Finally she spoke with a smile, “I bet you would. Be seeing you at lunch then?”

He nodded and waved goodbye to her, still feeling unnerved.

            Later on he saw Sven on his walk between classes. He walked over with a friendly smile, wanting to ease the frazzled looking reindeer.

“You okay, bud?” he asked, recalling with dry amusement how Sven had once pretended they were pals whilst flirting with Charlie.

Sven chuckled softly, “Fine just…I wanted her to tell her parents I just didn’t think she’d lose her _house_ because of it. I told her she could stay with me but she said she was fine at Winter’s there’s more room there and she doesn’t want my parents to get involved.” Wade patted the reindeer on the shoulder, trying to offer some comfort.

 Suddenly Sven blinked and looked at the wolf with open concern, “Sorry uh, are _you_ okay?”

 The words threw the wolf who furrowed his brow, “Why shouldn’t I be?”

Sven shrugged helplessly, “Life doesn’t favor any animal.”

 However the sudden question stayed with Wade while he and Sven went their separate ways.

            The class before lunch he talked to Charlie, asking her if she was alright and if there was anything he could do for her. She had assured him she was fine, but it was very sweet of him to ask, he was a nice wolf. All the while her eyes had a level of sympathy that made him feel like a pup shivering in the cold. It terrified him.

            Lunch arrived and as soon as Wade walked into the cafeteria Gazelle rushed to him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. He returned it, smiling softly as he took in her lovely scent.

“I haven’t seen you all day,” she said, grabbing his wrist and leading him to the table where her friends waited. “How has your day been so far?”

 Wade opened his mouth to answer, his eyes glancing up to where Winter and the others waited. The vixen, reindeer, and cheetah had been talking but immediately stopped when they noticed Gazelle and Wade walking over. They smiled toward him, kind smiles laced with pity and concern, as if he was something broken that needed to be looked after…

 Wade stopped in his tracks, dragging Gazelle to a halt.

 “What’s wrong?” she looked over at him in concern, her fingers still wrapped around his wrist.

 Wade dragged his eyes away from her friends to look down at her, and spoke in a quiet whisper, “You told them…”  
Her expression was all the answer he needed and Wade felt the walls rise back up but not before that look stabbed his heart.

 His face split into a furious scowl and he ripped his paw out of her grip, “ _You told them_!”

His yell brought the attention of the cafeteria to them but he didn’t care, he was too busy snarling at the girl who he thought cared about him. “What is _wrong_ with you!?”

 “I-I’m sorry!” Gazelle apologized, her expression helpless and heartbroken. “It just slipped out and-and they’re my friends-”

“I thought I was your friend,” he interrupted her. “Or does a charity case not count?”

 She flinched, “You are not a charity case, Wade. Please don’t be like this.”

“Be like what? Angry that as soon as I decide to trust someone she stabs me in the back!?”

 “I didn’t stab you in the back!” Gazelle insisted.

“But you promised me, you _promised_ me that you wouldn’t tell anyone!” He glared toward her friends, “But now they know! And if they keep promises like you do the entire school will soon know if they don’t already!”

 “Wade please,” Gazelle whispered, not wanting the rest of the staring cafeteria to hear, “You shouldn’t even have to worry about this, you shouldn’t be living-”

 Wade held up his paws, rendering her silent. “You see, Gazelle, that’s your problem.” He pointed at her, “You think that just because you’re some celebrity who’s all about harmony and co-existence you magically know what’s best for everyone! But no, you don’t, you don’t know me, you’re not _going_ to know me. And I can’t believe that for a moment I thought you were different from everyone else, I thought you weren’t gossipy and would actually understand _but you don’t_!”

 His breathing was ragged now, his teeth bared and Gazelle looked at him with large eyes that were utterly heartbroken. He wouldn’t be fooled again. “Thanks for all the _pity money_ ,” he growled quietly, “I plan on using that to get as far away from you as possible.”

 “Wade…” Gazelle’s voice cracked, her eyes starting to tear up. “… _Please_ …”  
He quickly looked away, taking several steps back, away from her scent, away from her warmth. “I thought you were different,” he repeated, his eyes away from her, his voice tight and starting to show the pain the walls couldn’t keep at bay.

            Wade quickly left the cafeteria, ignoring the shocked stares of the other students, ignoring Gazelle’s begs to wait, to come back, she told him she was sorry. So was he.

 

.

 

            He ran off the school grounds, leaving his truck behind, he needed to jog off all this anger, this disgust…this hurt.

He didn’t know how much time had passed before the stitch in his side forced him to stop in an empty street. He bent over, paws on knees as he forced ragged breaths down his throat. As his head lowered his hood fell over his eyes.

 With a furious snarl he unzipped the hoodie Gazelle had bought him and balled it up furiously; wanting to find a trash can or dumpster to throw it in but ultimately he just let it fall to his feet.

  Wade leaned his head against the glass window of a temporarily closed store, trying to calm himself down. He looked at his reflection through the glass and his eyes widened in horror.

He was crying.

 He hadn’t cried in years! And all because of _her_! That girl who made him care and smile and laugh and pour his heart out only to turn around and break the trust he had never given to anyone before.

 He rubbed furiously at his eyes but it didn’t help, his vision was blurry, his cheeks became damp, he could taste salt.

 “Stop crying,” he urged himself, begged himself, his voice quiet and broken and frustrated. “Stop crying, stop crying, stop crying.”

He repeated the words over and over, but inside his head a different mantra was running through his mind. Words his mother had told him more than once, her own version of advice. The only piece of advice she had ever given him, the only piece of advice he should’ve listened to, the only piece of advice that had ever mocked his shredded heart.

_“You’re too much like me, Wade. You’ll let popular, attractive animals get the better of you. Just like I let your father get the best of me and now look where I am.”_

 It had happened; Gazelle had done to him what his father had done to his mother.

            _She got the best of me._

_She got the best of me._

_She got the best of me…_


	64. Chapter 64

“I see why you chose to be the encouragement coach, Nick,” Finnick smirked, not even trying to hide his amusement. “This is fun.”  
Nick glared at his two friends and girlfriend; he had a specific paw gesture in mind for his friend but could unfortunately not show it off since both of his paws were handcuffed to the field goal of the football field.

It was teach Judy how to use handcuffs and use her detective skills to find the hidden key day and the three decided ‘Hey, it was Nick’s turn.’

 Nick looked to Judy, “Carrots, don’t you laugh too!”

“Sorry,” she giggled behind her paw, “You just make the funniest faces when you’re angry.”

 The fox rolled his eyes, “Can we get these cuffs off me already before mammals start taking pictures?”

“Okay, okay,” Honey turned to Judy. “To find the key you have to solve my riddle: What’s like a-”

“It’s in Mr. Woof’s class.”

 “ _Nick_!” Honey gasped in utter betrayal.

“Under my desk.”

 Judy smiled at the badger’s put out expression, “Don’t worry, Honey. I’ll walk slowly.”

            Nick leaned his cheek against the goal post, his green eyes quickly becoming tender as he watched Judy skip out of sight.

Finnick’s ears pricked and he gave his friend a wry look, “That was a dreamy sigh if I’ve ever heard one.”

“Aw,” Honey cooed.

 Nick didn’t pay his friends any mind, until Finnick spoke up again. “So, you won the bet.”  
 Nick blinked out of his affectionate stupor and looked at the fennec, “Huh?”

“You won the bet,” Finnick said, “I collected all the bet money this morning.”  
 “I didn’t say anything,” Nick told the two, keeping the night at Wilde Times to himself.

His friends gave him pitying looks. “You’re kidding right?” Finnick asked with snark.

“Darling,” Honey said, “Anyone with a nose can smell you on Judy.”  
 The fox’s ears burned red and his two friends chuckled.

“Look at his face, Fin,” Honey giggled.

“No need to blush Wilde, it’s not like she popped your cheery.”

No, but Nick popped hers. “She said she loved me.”

Those words cut his friends’ laughter short. Nick smiled to himself, leaning his head against the pole with another ‘dreamy’ sigh: “She said she loved me.”

“That’s great!” Honey exclaimed joyfully. “Now you can tell her about the bet without her getting mad.”

“Honey, love doesn’t equal immune to anger,” Finnick told her.

 “There’s no point,” Nick said. “It’s over now. And that money is going to Wilde Times and…you know what I could really care less about it now.”

 Finnick’s eyebrows rose when he saw the look on his friend’s face, he knew that look.

            “Sooo,” Honey playfully nudged her friend’s shoulder. “Where did you two…you know?”

Nick squinted at his friend, “You’re really going to ask me that?”

“We both are,” Finnick replied.

  Nick snorted and rolled his eyes at the two, “ _Not_ that it’s any of your business but it was in my office at Wilde Times.”  
 “YOU SHOWED HER WILDE TIMES!?”  
Nick flinched at his two friends, “Hey, you guys _asked_.”

 Finnick had his jaw hanging in utter disbelief while Honey clutched her chest with both paws and looked to be a little teary eyed.

 “You have _never_ done so much for a girl before, Nick,” Honey breathed.

“He’s never done so much for _me_ and _I’m_ his best friend,” Finnick grumbled.

 Nick flicked his tail in the fennec’s face, “Oh, you know I love you.”

            Honey looked over her shoulder and saw Judy returning, “Here’s your Lady Love, Nick.”

“Carrots!” Nick called out happily, “I’m so glad you’re back I nearly died of loneliness.”

The rabbit was wearing a thoughtful expression as she walked over to them, key in paw.

 “You alright, Carrots?” Nick asked when she didn’t respond. “Mr. Woof didn’t drag you into one of his speeches did he?”

 Judy shook her head slightly then looked up and smiled at him, “No, I was just wondering: do I _really_ want to get you out of those handcuffs? I feel like it’s wasting a once in a lifetime memory.”

 “Exactly!” Finnick guffawed. “That’s the perfect attitude to have, Hopps!”  
            But despite their insistent teasing Judy relented under Nick’s puppy dog eyes and freed him. The moment the fox could move his arms again he picked Judy up and spun her around, getting the rabbit to giggle.

When he placed her down she was hesitant to let him go. He grinned down at her, “I’m not going anywhere Carrots; you don’t have to squeeze me like that. Not that I’m complaining.”  
 Judy nuzzled into him, ignoring the silly coos and gagging of Honey and Finnick. She looked up at Nick with shimmering eyes, and spoke in a tender and soft voice, “You’re such a dumb fox.”

 

 


	65. Chapter 65

Dawn was taking Leodore’s words to heart and spending a lot of time alone. Her brain going over every aspect of her relationship with the lion and wondering how dating him would shape it.

She could only think of the one obvious negativity: Leodore was a senior and would be off to college in a few short months, did he really expect they could have a healthy long distance relationship?

But she had also witnessed a new negativity the other day. Dawn had been one of many to witness Wade’s very public breakup with Gazelle. The wolf hadn’t come to school since and the gazelle walked around with a haunted expression. They had looked so happy together at the formal and now they were miserable.

 How could she and Leodore do any better?

            But despite her fear and doubts she couldn’t make herself tell the lion that a relationship was impossible. She also couldn’t get that kiss out of her head.

It hadn’t been her first kiss though Leodore didn’t know that. She recalled one school break back when she was thirteen, when Leodore had been away on one of the infamous Lionheart reunions.

 Dawn had met a ram by the name of Doug and had spent her break with him; he had ended up getting her first kiss from him though she could hardly remember what brought it on. Doug and his family had moved just before the break ended and Dawn had never felt the need to bring it up.

But that kiss had been nothing like when Leodore’s lips had meant hers. It had been fireworks, lightning, and her heart was still beating a little too quickly.

Dawn dug her fingers into her wool and pulled, letting out a frustrated groan because this was all so unbelieving confusing and she couldn’t stand it!

            “Dawn?”

The sheep had passed the open door of the art room; Fru Fru was sitting alone in the room. Sitting on the table with a small pencil in paw, looking at Dawn with wide eyed confusion, “Are you okay?”

“Just trying to figure some crazy things out,” Dawn sighed, walking into the classroom. “What are you doing in here?”

 “Just finishing something up a sketch,” Fru Fru replied, turning her attention back to her paper.

 Dawn blinked, “I didn’t know you were an artist.”

“I’m not really,” the shrew kept her eyes on her drawings, making some final touches. “But I do like sketching out dresses. There we go!”

 She picked up the piece of paper that was taller than her and showed it to the sheep, it was the design of a day dress that had a sort of jellyfish structure. Dawn liked it.

 “What do you think?” the shrew asked.

“It’s cute,” Dawn replied.

 “Thank you, this summer I’m going to be an apprentice to the famous fashion designer Coco Catnel this summer,” Fru Fru practically squealed.

Dawn’s eyes widened, “You want to be a fashion designer?”

“Oh _absolutely_! To spend the rest of my life making beautiful clothes, it would be a dream come true!”

 Dawn wondered… “Fru Fru, do you want to see an old dress shop?”

 

.

 

            Dawn had gotten Mr. Roundback on the phone as soon as Fru Fru walked into her mother’s store. The shrew let out a shrill of delight and ran around, checking out the laces and ribbons, ranting about all the things she could do with it.

The sheep wanted to convince Mr. Roundback to keep the store on hold for the shrew, wait a few years, let Fru Fru graduate, go to college, then come back and revive the store that had so much potential. She knew it was what her mother would want.

            It was what Dawn wanted to.

 

.

 

            Meanwhile Judy walked into the Grey Family Bakery by herself.

The original plan was for her, Fru, and Ben to have a study session over sweets but the two cancelled at the last second. Fru Fru for some reason running off with Bellwether and while Ben didn’t give her a specific reason she had a feeling it had something to do with Bogo from the way the cheetah had blushed.

But she was fine studying on her own.

            Once the bell chimed signaling her arrival Gideon Grey who had been reading a country magazine, turning around, jolting in place when he saw who it was, Judy offered a smile. She and her friends had been already been here a couple times more but the husky fox still acted odd around her.

“Hi, Gideon,” she greeted.

“Good-good afternoon, Judy,” he greeted with an embarrassed smile. “The usual?”

“Yes, please,” Judy said, walking over to take her usual booth, laying out her textbook and notepad, “And some hot chocolate if you don’t mind. I have a lot of studying to get done.”

            A few minutes later the fox brought over a slice of carrot cake and a blue mug full of steaming liquid and marshmallows. “Benjamin and Fru Fru are busy then?”

“Yeah, they cancelled at the last second,” Judy said, writing down a note.

“Ah, want me to keep you company? It’s been a slow down and my parents are out on their lunch break.”

 “Sure,” Judy smiled, indicating to the seat across from her. “We can talk about how weird you are around me.” Getting straight to the point, something she didn’t do often enough.

Gideon flinched as he sat down, looking at her with an apologetic expression, “Not as subtle as I thought, huh?”

 Judy closed her textbook and met the fox’s blue eyes, “I’m afraid not. But I really don’t understand why you’re so jumpy around me.”

 The fox glanced away, his expression uncertain and for a moment Judy was terrified he had a crush on her. Then he spoke: “You don’t remember me.”  
Her brow furrowed, “Remember you?”

Gideon met her eyes, wincing as he did so, “We met once…when we were kids.”

 It took all of Judy two second before her jaw dropped and she realized Gideon Grey was the fox bully she had met all those years ago, the one who Nick saved her from.

 He shrunk under her shocked expression, “I really am sorry for how I treated you all those years ago. I was the worst as a kit…I remembered you and that fox I scratched because I just felt so _guilty_ afterward. Then you just walk into the store and I’ve been wanting to tell you who I am but I was scared of how you’d react but I guess there’s no point hiding it.” He swallowed, “I’m really, really sorry.”

            Judy was silent for a few more moments, but spoke up when Gideon moved to get up and walk away. “I forgive you.”

He stared at her with open shock, “Really? Just like that?”

“Yeah, you obviously felt really bad if you’ve been holding onto it for all these years. Plus…I’m trying to be more forgiving these days…”

Gideon broke into a wide grin that made him look like an ecstatic eight year old, “That’s great! That’s really great! In fact-carrot cake and hot chocolate is on the house!”

            Judy broke into a giggle when the bell chimed again; she looked over to see two pigs walking into the bakery. One was an elderly male that reminded her of her Pop Pop, in dirt stained overalls and carrying a crate of peaches. Besides him was a female a few years older than Judy, she wore a black shirt and jeans and looked more like she lived in the city, silver white hair swept over her violet eyes as she carried a box of apples.

 The older pig looked at the fox and rabbit, “Delivery?”

“Oh, you’re early,” Gideon sat up and happily took the small crate from the pig. “Thank you.” Gideon smiled at the bunny, “Judy, these Swintons sell some of the best produce I know.” He walked to take the peaches into the back, “My ma and I make amazing peach cobbler and apple pies with these.”

 As soon as Gideon had mention her name the female pig had stared at Judy with open surprise, the rabbit offered a small smile and wave. The pig returned the smile; her eyes looked like she held some secret before she wordlessly followed Gideon and the older pig to the back of the store.

 


	66. Chapter 66

 

            Gazelle had gone after Wade that day. Of course she had, she was in love with him. Her friends had followed after her but by the time they reached outside Wade had vanished, leaving his truck behind.

 She sat down on the front steps and felt the tears roll off her cheeks, burying her face in her hooves.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Sven breathed in pity. Winter sat down next to the singer, Sven on her other side while Charlie and Raja looked at each other helplessly.

 “This is all my fault,” Sven said, “I asked him if he was okay and he figured it out.”

“No, it’s my fault,” Gazelle mumbled. “I promised him I wouldn’t say anything, it was probably the first time he ever shared something so personal. And I _broke_ that promise.” She run at her tear filled eyes, laughing humorlessly, “He called me out. I am no different…”

 “You never meant to hurt him,” Winter said, placing her paw on the gazelle’s wrist. “He needs to know that.”

 “Wait, what’s going on?” Raja asked in confusion. “What am I missing?”

No one answered the tiger, all eyes on Gazelle as she tried to breath through the pain of her broken heart.

 

.

 

            It was a few days later and Wade had never returned to school though his pickup had vanished overnight. Gazelle tried to call him, he never answered, she drove to his aunt’s thrift shop but the wolf told her she had not seen him in awhile. The fear in the kindly wolf’s eyes had Gazelle’s blood pumping with panic.

 Her horrific visions came back, of Wade being beaten to a bloody pulp, of his broken body lying on the side of the road. Many students at St. Zoo had made it clear they were on Gazelle’s side, that they believed it was Wade’s fault the relationship hadn’t worked out, nothing she had said would convince them otherwise.

 Wade could be beaten to death by his own father and so many animals wouldn’t care.

But she would, and Kate, and Jenna and Lily. Gazelle couldn’t let that happen. She jumped into her limo and gave the driver Wade’s address.

 

.

 

            She of course had never been there. It was in a more dingy side of town, the houses beaten down with peeling paint and missing shingles. Lawns either brown with neglect or overgrown to look like a jungle.

She stepped out of the vehicle and walked through the small yard bordered by the rotten wood of an old picket fence. The grass prickly and yellow, empty wine bottles and beer cans littered the ground.

 Sucking in a breath and summoning her courage Gazelle knocked on the front door, praying Wade would open it and she could drag him out of here and to somewhere safe.

But no, the wolf that opened the door was his mother. Her fur was a light shade of brown and clumped in disarray, it disturbed the prey how her green eyes were identical to Wade’s, the only difference was the white of her eyes were bloodshot.

 The she-wolf held a lit cigarette between her fingers and looked at Gazelle with a cocked brown and displeased frown, “What are you selling, darling? Bibles or cookies?”

Gazelle quickly shook her head, “I’m your son’s, Wade’s, girlfriend.”

 Mrs. Jones barked out a raspy laugh, spittle flying. “Wade doesn’t _have_ girlfriends. He definitely wouldn’t date someone like _you_.” She said the last word as if it was something filthy and Gazelle’s hackles rose in defense.

“Is he here?” she asked, trying to keep her voice level.

            “Mom, who’s at the door?”

Gazelle looked over Mrs. Jones’ shoulder and saw Wade stepping out of the hallway. He wore her red hoodie wrapped around his waist and for a moment her heart fluttered in relief, not only did he not throw it away but he was _okay_.

But the moment the teenaged wolf saw her, his face twisted in horror.

 His mother leaned against the doorframe so the two teens could get a better look at each other, “Wade, this prey says she’s your girlfriend.”

“She’s not,” Wade said firmly and Gazelle flinched, stricken. “And she needs to go.”

 “Now hold on,” Mrs. Jones grabbed the gazelle’s wrist, making her cringe. “I know when you’re lying to me, son. You slept with her, didn’t you?”

 “No,” Wade snapped, walking over. His fur was bristling with fear and his ears were pricked like he was expecting someone else to arrive. “Let her go home, Mom.”

 “It looks like someone didn’t listen to his mother,” Mrs. Jones smirked nastily at Gazelle. “She’s very pretty, beautiful even, and I bet she’s popular too. Just like your father. Did she treat you nice, Wade? Made you feel so special and wanted? Just like your father.” Her grip tightened and Gazelle bit her lip in fright.

 “Mother, stop,” Wade grabbed his mother’s other arm, the one that still held the cigarette.

“On the bright side she can’t leave you with a baby to take care of,” the she-wolf continued her green eyes venomous. She suddenly barked a cruel laugh and met her son’s eyes, “Let me guess…she got the best of you. Just. Like. Your. _Father_.”

 Wade flinched as if he had been stabbed, “ _Please_ … Just go back inside, Mom…”

 She snorted nastily but finally released Gazelle’s now sore wrist and disappeared back into the house, breathing in the smoke of her cigarette.

            Wade turned his attention to Gazelle who was staring at him with open horror and sadness. “Wade…” she began.

“Go away,” he growled, grabbing her arm in a much more gentle grip than his mother’s and leading her away from the door. “I don’t know what made you think you could come over here but don’t do it _again_!”

 “I wanted to apologize,” Gazelle insisted, trying to dig her feet into the ground. “I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

Wade halted and glared at her, “I was fine long before I met you and I’ll be fine long after. Now go before my father gets here, Mom’s a peach compared to him.”

 That thought sent her heart into another burst of panic, “Come with me,” she begged.

 He scowled at her, his eyes flashing with hurt, “And do what?”

She wasn’t sure how to answer that so instead she asked her own question, “Do you really think I’m like your father?”

 It took Wade a long time to answer this, his eyes dark and thoughtful, until finally he exhaled, “I don’t know anymore…maybe…”   
 “But I’m _not_! I care about you, Wade!”

 “And I cared about you,” his voice was a soft rumble. “That’s why what you did hurt more than any beating either of my parents can give me.”

 Gazelle could barely speak through the lump in her throat, “Tell me what I have to do! Please, Wade, don’t let it end like this!” She clutched at his arm and he didn’t shed away. But his eyes stayed hard.

 “The only thing you need to do is stay away from here, Gazelle. You don’t belong in a place like this…Let’s be honest you don’t belong with someone like be. Besides I told you I plan on leaving, I always planned on leaving.”

 “I don’t want you to go!”

“And I wanted you to keep your promise!”

 His snarl rendered her silent as he nearly dragged her back to the limo where her driver watched with concerned eyes. “But I didn’t get that, I’m not _going_ to get that.”

 He looked her in the eye as he opened the door of the limo, “Forget about me, Gazelle.”  
 “I can’t,” she breathed as he urged her down into the back seat of the vehicle, “Forgive me.”

His cold expression finally faltered, showing the pain he was trying so hard to hide. “I can’t.”

 He closed the limo door.

 

.

 

            That night Wade’s father was in a more passive mood, even sitting with his mate on the old couch, watching an old black and white film on the TV.

 Wade had slipped out of his room, going to the kitchen to find the snacks he had hid in the pantry, when his mother spoke up: “Your son is dating a prey.”  
Wade halted in his steps, looking over at his parents with wide eyes. His father’s beer can stopped mid-way to his lips.

He looked at his son with those nasty yellow eyes, “Is he?” he asked quietly.

“No,” Wade said, his mouth dry, “I’m not dating her.”

“Calling your mother a liar then,” his father asked with narrowed eyes.

 “She misunderstood,” Wade tried to explain.

His father broke into a bark of harsh laughter, “Doesn’t she always?” Mrs. Jones had turned her attention back to the screen, not bothering to defend herself.

“But,” his father continued, “I recall you coming home some nights carrying a scent I didn’t recognize. So I have reason to believe you at least had a little ‘fun’ with her.”

“I didn’t,” Wade said honestly, he moved to continue to the kitchen.

 “I wasn’t done talking,” his father said, standing up and placing the beer can on the floor. He walked over to son, Wade was an ear-length taller but he always hunched in on himself whenever his father appeared, bracing himself for a blow.

 But Mr. Jones was smirking in an amused way, his eyes alit with interest, “What is she?”

“Sir?”

“What kind of prey is she?”

His mother answered for him, “She’s some gazelle, I think I’ve seen her on TV once.”  
 His father’s smile widened, “It’s that pop singer that goes to your school isn’t it? You were with _her_!”

 Wade looked down which apparently was answer enough.

“What did you do with her?”

The younger wolf’s brow knit and he looked up at his father’s grinning expression, “Do with her?”

“You’re telling me you spent all that time with that prey, got her scent all over you, and didn’t take her?”

 Wade took a few steps back, unable to believe he was having this conversation with his father, “No.”  
 “And why not?”

 _Because unlike you I actually respect other mammals_ , “Because I didn’t want to.”

 “Oh please, Wade,” his mother spoke up again, showing she had been listening in. “I saw the way you were looking at her. You wanted to ravage her.”

 Wade’s ears fell back in dismay as his father looked at him with something akin to…dare he say it, approval.

 “Looks like the pathetic whelp is more like his parents than I thought.”

 

 


	67. Chapter 67

Valentines Day came before anyone was truly ready. And while Nick had been lounging on the dating cloud he somehow forgot that on the day of the holiday of love he and his friends had a vicious bowling match against some students of Zootopia Central High (or ZCH).

 Nick had taken one look at Honey’s face, the captain of the bowling team, and knew he couldn’t just cancel on his best friend. So instead he went to Judy, on his paws and knees and begged her to postpone their valentine’s celebration for tomorrow, and that he would make it up to her, even take her to some really expensive place he couldn’t afford.

 But then Judy placed her last book in her locker and looked at him, “Why don’t I just come to the bowling alley with you?”

            And one hour later Judy, Fru Fru, and Winter sat with the St. Zoo Saints which consisted of the captain Honey, Nick, Finnick, and Rick who was currently a guest player (and turned out to be an incredibly talented bowler according to his brother). Fru Fru had planned to spend the day with Clawhauser the two eating chocolates until they burst, but the cheetah apparently had a date with a certain buffalo. Meanwhile Winter tagged along because Sven and Charlie was spending the day together and Gazelle was having a mother-daughter day.

 “Okay team,” Honey turned to the three foxes that made up her team. “Remember, in order to beat those blood sucking private school snots we have to _be_ the ball.” She was talking to the entire team but her eyes were specifically on Finnick.

The small fox scowled up at her, “It’s like you think I _wanted_ to be born a fennec, like I _want_ to be eight inches tall!”

“The last time you pulled a gutter ball you went with it,” Honey reminded him of the memorable day of last month’s game.

 “Relax, Honey,” Nick assured his friend. “If worse comes to worse we have a spare rabbit and vixen over there.” He pointed to Judy and Winter then glanced uncertainly at Fru Fru.

 “I’ll be the team cheerleader,” she offered with a bright smile.

            Just then an unfamiliar voice spoke up, “Ah, the heavenly saints are already here.”

The group turned around to see a new group of animals walk to the bowling lane next to them. The group consisted of a snow leopard, a moose, a jaguar, a koala, and two of their friends, a panda and a tanuki.

Honey walked over to stand before the snow leopard, paws on her hips and a proud expression on her face and a challenging glint in her eye. “We meet again, Fabianne Growley, captain of the ZCH’s Bowlers. Which is incredibly uncreative let me tell you.”  
 Fabianne looked down at the badger with an amused smirk, her eyebrow cocked, “And if it isn’t Honey Madge and her pack of foxes, looks like you even got a new one.”

 She nodded toward Winter who stuck her tongue out at the leopard, Honey looked at the arctic vixen with pride before turning back to Fabianne. “I hope you brought your A game, sister.”

 “I have,” the leopard purred. “But have _you_?”  
 “I’ll have you know this isn’t my first time being captain, I also led the bowling team of the Savannah Bunny Scouts and have spent many years fueling my will to win and sacrificing the skirts my dad buys me to appease the bowling gods.” She jerked her thumb behind herself, “Plus Rick’s really good.”

 The fox, who was sitting next to Judy, made a gun with his paw, aiming it at Fabianne before winking and making a clicking noise with his tongue.

 “We’ll see,” Fabianne returned to her group. “We’ll see.”

            Honey stomped back to her friends, looking enraged, “She must be destroyed.”

“Don’t worry, she will be,” Nick assured his friend, sitting on Judy’s other side.

“Rick, go forth!” Honey ordered of the older red fox. “Bring their spirits down _immediately_.”

 As Rick stood up and went to do just that Nick turned to his girlfriend with an apologetic expression, “I really am sorry, Carrots. I know this isn’t exactly the most romantic place to spend our first valentines day.”

“No, but we’re hardly the average couple, of course we won’t go on an average date,” Judy reminded him, sliding over to lean against his side. “As long as we’re spending time together, that’s what’s important. Right?”

 “Right,” Nick said, wrapping his arm around her stomach, “How did I get such a great girlfriend?”

 Judy only smiled softly.

            Honey let out a screech of joy, startling the two lovers who looked up to see Rick had hit two strikes in a row. Winter and Fru Fru cheered along with the badger who high-foured the senior, Rick wore a casual expression like a strike was no big deal.

 “Beat that!” Honey pointed with both paws toward their rival team.

            As the game went on the doors of the bowling alley opened, stepping inside was a pretty pig. She wore a casual red blouse and tight jeans, looking around with an easy and confident mannerism. Spotting the pig standing at the sign in desk she walked over and offered a friendly smile.

 “Ah,” the male pig greeted, “If it isn’t my favorite cousin, May.”

“I’m your only cousin, Paul,” May Swinton informed her, resting her elbows against the wood of the counter. “Gramps and I came to town to deliver some produce and enjoy the city air. He went and took a nap at the hotel but told me I should come pay you a visit.”  
 “Well, it warms my heart that you had to be reminded to visit your only cousin,” Paul said sarcastically but his smile was still in place.

The two chatted for a few minutes, May informing him how life was going on in the farm and he telling her how life in Zootopia was. But just then a loud screech echoed in the bowling alley.

 May turned her head to see a hefty honey badger jumping up and down in triumph.

“Another strike!” she called to a snow leopard and moose who scowled at her. “I’m so good I scare _me_!”

 May’s eyes trailed to the bench where the badger’s teammates were sitting and her eyes widened when she spot a familiar pelt of dark red fur.

 Rick stood up, stretching before turning his attention to the badger, “Now Honey,” May could make out his voice from the drone of the room. “It’s rude to gloat.”

“Especially when you are obviously the more talented party,” another red fox spoke up with a smug grin. Seeing the green eyes May realized it was Nick Wilde.

“C-can you excuse me for a moment, Paul?” May asked of her cousin, her heart had started to pick up speed. “I need to go.”  
 “Go where?” he asked as she walked away.

“To see a friend,” May mumbled, her eyes shining, “A very, very good friend.”

            But despite her excitement at seeing the fox May felt her footsteps coming to a halt a few feet away, the group not noticing her yet. A bashfulness was rising up her throat, she had never felt bashful a day in her life…not until she met Richard Wilde.

Rick was standing with his brother and the badger, their backs to her and talking while the other team took their turn. The bunny she had recognized at the bakery, Judy Hopps, was sitting with a fennec fox, an artic shrew and a vixen. Said bunny suddenly glanced over at May, her eyes widening with slight recognition. 

For some reason that put her bashfulness away and she spoke: “Foxy!”  
 Rick whirled around quickly, his blue eyes spotting May, staring at her…and then he broke into a huge grin.

 “ _May_!” he cried out exuberantly, running over to her, swiftly circling her before standing in front of her with his smile showing off all his teeth. “It’s you-you’re here-in _Zootopia_.”

She giggled at his excitement, trying to hide her blushes with one of her classic smirks, “Didn’t think I’d ever leave Manehattan?”

 Before Rick could speak his brother was suddenly at their side, pushing Rick away and smiling at her like she was a fascinating science project, “ _You’re_ May?”

“And _you’re_ Nick,” she greeted, by the knowing glint in the fox’s eyes Rick had apparently told his brother about her. It was flattering.

Nick pointed at her and looked over his shoulder at his friends, “It’s May!”

 “Ooooh,” their friends echoed with teasing smirks.

“Quit it,” Rick slapped his brother’s paw away and pushed him away. He gave May an embarrassed smile, “Sorry about that. It’s so good to see you.”  
 “It’s good to see you too,” she replied genuinely, “Hasn’t been the same without you.”

Rick smiled at her for a few moments before realizing she was waiting for him to speak, he quickly cleared his throat, “So, wh-what brings you here to Zootopia?”

 “Just delivering some produce with my Gramps, we’ll be staying for a few days before we have to head to Manehattan.”

 “Hey, Rick,” Honey called. “I’m really glad you’re having a touching reunion and all but we’re kinda in the middle of war.”

 “War?” May echoed with a chuckle.

“Bowling,” he stated the obvious. “Um, if you don’t mind waiting we could talk after? If you’re not busy.”

It was clear the confidence that had made the fox kiss her had vanished, she smiled at him, “Sure, you fight the good fight I can wait.”

            She sat with the rabbit, shrew and vixen while Rick took his turn. As he did so the honey badger walked over to sit with the arctic fox. She looked at May, “So, are you and Rick doing a long distance thing or…?”  
 “Wow, Hon,” the vixen sighed, “Your middle name is blunt.”

“Life’s too short to tiptoe around a question,” the badger, Honey, explained before turning back to May. “So?”

“We’re friends,” the pig explained. “But well…” She shrugged with a teasing smirk, “I wouldn’t be completely against the idea.”  
 “Praise,” Honey nearly deflated in relief. “Rick needs a girlfriend so everyone will stop assuming me and him are a thing.”  
 “WHAT!?” Winter gaped at the badger in horror. “WHO SAID THIS?”

“ _Why_ would that say it?” the rabbit asked, looking up at the badger. “You and Rick have never shown any interest in each other… _ever_.”

Honey shrugged, “I have absolutely no idea.”

 Winter mumbled something angry and unintelligible under her breath and May wondered if it was as obvious to the badger as it was to her how the vixen felt. But then Honey let out a loud whoop, startling the girls. Rick had hit another strike.

“Why don’t you guys just let Rick do all the bowling?” the bunny asked. May studied the rabbit, finding it weird she had just stumbled across Rick’s old crush the other day. She was pretty and looked friendly and smart; May could see why he had liked her.

But she also noticed how Nick kept glancing over at this Judy Hopps, his eyes warm and tender. With a look like that it didn’t surprise her that the two were a couple, even if he was a fox and she a rabbit.   

            About forty minutes later the game ended, the St. Zoo Saints had won (though only by a hair since Peter Moosebridge had been on a role that day). The group left the bowling alley, Honey skipping in delight as she did so. Winter walked beside the badger, offering sweet compliments as they traveled down the street.

May was chatting off Rick’s ear, telling him about how things had been with Morris and Bucky and Prong since he had been gone. All the while he listened with a tender smile.

            Finnick let out a snort, Fru Fru who was walking beside him looked up, “Aren’t you happy you won?”  
 “It’s not that,” he grumbled. “I’m just kinda sick and tired of being the…” he counted off his friends, “ _Seventh_ wheel.”  
 “At least you’re not the eighth wheel,” Fru Fru replied, feeling a little depressed as she was the only one of her friends who wasn’t dating anyone. She smiled teasingly up at Finnick, “Well if you ever get tired of it I’m single.” The shrew immediately regretted the words.

 The fennec just smiled softly at her.  

            Meanwhile Nick was throwing out ideas he and Judy could do with what was left of the day, watching a movie, going for a romantic ride in Finnick’s car (he’d assure her he’d somehow get his friend’s consent). But Judy grabbed his paw, ending up the fox’s ranting.

 “Or,” she said. “We could just go to your place, curl up with some covers and hang out.”

She softly shook her head as Nick broke into a happy grin, “Yeah, that’ll work.”

 

 

           


	68. Chapter 68

Charlie took Sven to a park, a park that was as far away from their houses as possible. She needed to distract the reindeer.

The morning after the winter formal Charlie had called Sven with Winter’s phone and explained to him what had happened. The reindeer had ran out to see her, and she knew the moment she looked at him that he blamed himself completely. Despite everything he said he had never wanted to drive Charlie away from her family. No matter how much the cheetah tried to convince him that if her parents couldn’t accept their relationship they couldn’t accept her, it was their fault not his.

            “Nice day today, hm?” Charlie tried for conversation as she and Sven walked down a trail, paw and hoof interlocked.

“Yeah,” Sven said, giving her a soft smile but it didn’t reach his eyes.

Charlie frowned at him, “Come on, Sven. It’s Valentine’s Day. Where’s that giant, one hundred watt smile I know and love?”

Sven pulled his lips back into a larger grin but it came off as awkward. Charlie sighed and laid her head against his shoulder, “You’re hopeless.”  
 “Yeah, I am,” he said in a melancholic voice.

They kept walking, Charlie trying to pull Sven into a conversation but even talk of music didn’t peak the reindeer’s interest.

            It didn’t get better when they spotted other couples celebrating the holiday. And all of them were the same species. She felt Sven’s grip on her paw tighten, she smiled softly up at him though his eyes were far away and sad. Charlie dragged him away from the couples, through a thicket of bushes and a couple of trees so they were hidden from the other park-goers.

 “There,” she said, a brittle edge to her voice, “No one’s looking at us now.”

Catching her tone Sven winced apologetically, “I’m sorry.”

 Her annoyance faded, she took both his hooves in her paws, “I get it, Sven. But us being together, isn’t that what you want?”  
 “Of course it is!” he replied immediately. “I just didn’t want you to be homeless because of it.”

“I’m not homeless; you know Winter wouldn’t kick me out.”  
 “You could stay with me,” he offered. “You know my parents love you.”  
 “Yes but when they find out what happened between me and my mom there’ll be a blood bath,” she replied.

 Sven slipped out of her paws, his expression still guilty, “I know, I know…I just wish I could…” his voice trailed off. “Sorry,” he apologized again, “I’m getting moody.”

“You wear your heart on your sleeve,” the cheetah replied.

 Sven nodded in agreement before looking over his shoulder, “Maybe we should go get something to eat.” He turned around, his back to Charlie for half a second before she suddenly tackled into him, knocking him to the ground.

 “Pinned ya,” she purred, her paws on his shoulders and her legs straddling his back.

“Okay, okay, get off,” Sven sat up, forcing the cheetah to move back.

Still seeing the reindeer’s glum expression she let out a small sigh, her eyes falling to the grass, right before Sven lunged at her.

 With a happy growl she lightly wrestled with him, getting the upper hand and forcing him down onto his back, her paws now on his chest.

She grinned sassily, “Pinned ya again.”

 Sven’s arms shot out and he tickled her ribs, making the cheetah squeal in laughter, forcing him to release her and he managed to gently push her down onto the grass.

“You may be the pin and chase master but _I’m_ the tickle torturer.”

 “I yield,” she said, smiling at the way his eyes now shone happily. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, making his smile grow.

 They nuzzled against each other, a loud purr rising from Charlie’s throat. “Let’s go,” she breathed against his fur.

“Go where?”

 She held him tightly, “Anywhere.”

 

.

 

            Rick and May sat at a two seat table at Jerry Jumbeaux Café, having slipped away from the others.

May told him how Morris was doing, the little cub’s lungs were improving, he had even gone for a walk outside before May had left.

“That’s so great,” Rick replied with a big smile, “I’m so happy for him.”  
 “And he still worships you don’t worry,” the pig assured, sipping from the milkshake she had ordered. “So how have you been?”

 He shrugged, “I can’t complain. School’s been hectic, Nick’s been ridiculous.”

May chuckled softly, “He and that bunny make a cute couple.”

 “Yeah, they do,” Rick agreed passively. “I just hope Nick doesn’t do anything to screw it up.”

“But nothing’s wrong, right?” she asked, her eyes deep with meaning.

Rick knew she was referring to his father; he couldn’t blame her after the episode she had witnessed. “Everything’s fine,” he replied. “I promise… I missed you.”

She blushed at his last three words before quickly glancing away, “I-I missed you too…I guess.”  
 Rick snickered at her adorable attempt to play it cool. “So, it’s a little late today but I could show you the sights before you head back to Manehattan.”

“That sounds great,” she replied earnestly. “I’ve only been to Zootopia once before and I was just a piglet. Maybe I could even meet your mother.”  
 “Woah, going a little fast aren’t we?” Rick joked, showing off his teeth.

But despite his teasing tone May cringed, as if the words had embarrassed her. She took another sip of her milkshake. Rick couldn’t felt feeling a twinge of melancholy, he really liked May but she lived too far away, he didn’t have any faith in long distance relationships. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy her while he had her. He smiled softly at her, and after a moment, she returned it.

 

 


	69. Chapter 69

 

            Dawn knew she had officially gone insane when she went to Lucy for advice.

It was the day after Valentine’s Day, Dawn deciding to play sick and stay home so she wouldn’t run into Leodore. She was cowardly she knew but she hadn’t been able to handle it.

She had found Lucy by an old store and asked if she could seek some advice from her, the lioness was surprised by her words but agreed. She led Dawn to a nearby bench table and ended up lying on the table, her eyes up at the cloudy sky. Dawn shrugged and climbed up to lie beside her.

            “Your brother kissed me,” she cut right to the chase.

Lucy stared at her with wide eyes and a slack jaw, “No!”

Dawn’s ears turned red and she didn’t meet Lucy’s eyes, “Yes…”  
 “I didn’t think he had it in him,” the lioness purred with something akin to pride. But her words had Dawn looking at her with a furrowed brow.

“What do you mean?”

“It was obvious that he was in love with you,” she replied.

“It was?” Dawn’s face was twisted in horror.

“Oh, yes,” Lucy nodded. “So, what did you do after he kissed you?”  
 “I ran into my house.”  
 “ _Ouch_.”

 Dawn squirmed, “He wants to date me… He’s giving me time to figure everything out before I give him my answer.”

“And do you have an answer?”

 “No,” Dawn ran her hooves over her face with a frustrated wail, “Lucy I don’t know what to do! He’s a _lion_ I’m a _sheep_!”

“So?” the lioness asked.

“So that’s already a very huge problem in our relationship, not to mention the fact he’s going to be moving to college in just a few short months! There’s no way he’d be able to handle a long distance relationship. Plus what would his parents think, what would society think, what would _my_ parents think? I mean my mom likes him fine but my _dad_ -”

 “Want a sticker?” Lucy interrupted, already sitting up and digging through her jacket pocket.

 Dawn sat up as well and gave the lioness a weird look, “A sticker?”

“Yeah, little thing I do, carry around stickers with valuable life lessons on them-ah, this one is perfect for you.”

She placed a wrinkled star sticker on the ewe’s chest, Dawn read it’s words upside down: “Screw Society.”  
 She blinked up at Lucy.

 “I can’t stand my mom’s boyfriend,” the lioness began. “He’s pretentious and has horrible taste in music but I don’t scratch him because he makes my mother happy. He’s a zebra and he makes a lion happy. Don’t let society dictate what you do with your life. It’s none of their damn business. If you like my brother go tell him, if you just want to be his friend go tell him. But only because it’s what _you_ want, not what anyone, not even Leo, wants.”

Dawn stared at her with open surprise. Lucy was deeper than she gave herself credit for.

 

.

 

            The next day Dawn walked through the halls of St. Zoo, unsure if she was looking for Leodore or not.

But she stumbled upon him anyway, he was talking to Mika.

 The sheep stayed hidden behind the corner of the hall, realizing she was a shameless eavesdropper but remained quiet. She could see the flirty look Mika was batting at Leodore and Dawn decided she was testing her friend. Waiting to see what he would do.

            Leodore said something to the lioness, Dawn couldn’t make out the words but his expression was patient.

Mika leaned forward, resting her paws on his chest. Dawn felt her stomach twist as Leodore tried to back away but she already had her claws in him. Mika said something, by her expression it was a question. Leodore shook his head, his expression exasperated.

And then Mika leaned forward and kissed him.

            The kiss lasted three seconds before Leodore pushed her away, growling something at her before stomping down the hall, away from the lioness and Dawn. Mika stared after him with a severely affronted expression.

Meanwhile Dawn felt her nerves set fire and her fingers dug into the wall. “Oh,” she whispered to herself, pulling back and sitting down on the floor as jealousy twisted her insides. “ _Oh_ …mutton chops.”

 

 


	70. Chapter 70

Wade tried to forget his woes at the Howling Room. He was there for exactly thirty minutes, he had no idea why he thought a place where he had taken Gazelle would take his mind off things.

But he was tired and he wanted to go anywhere but home, his father kept making disgusting comments on Wade and the singer’s relationship.

            The wolves greeted him with friendly smiles but their howling made his stomach twist as if he was nauseous. In a desperate attempt to make it all stop Wade had tried to flirt with Lola. The she-wolf had been more than willing but before the two could so much as kiss Gazelle flashed through Wade’s mind and his heart constricted.

He quickly pulled away, apologized to Lola and ran out of the building, not stopping until he was safely in his truck and driving away.

He felt dirty; it felt that by flirting with Lola he had cheated on Gazelle which was stupid. They weren’t even dating anymore.

            Driving aimlessly he got stuck in a miniature traffic jam. His eyes roaming the street, his elbows resting on the wheel, the truck was silent as all the music he had reminded him of…her.

And apparently just the thought of _her_ served as a summoning spell. Wade’s eyes widened and his ears pricked as he saw Gazelle and Raja standing on the street, listening to a hyena as he played a guitar. Raja tossed a few bills into the guitar’s case. Wade nearly ducked down but forced himself not to, they didn’t see him.

            It had been days since Gazelle had showed up at his house and nearly gave him a heart attack. He hadn’t seen her since, taking random jobs all around town in order to fill his Escape Jar. Now that he was looking at her she was still as beautiful as always, it was like his leaving no longer affected her.   
Which was good, it was painful but it was good. Let her forget him and then, just maybe, he’d forget her.

            As he watched the two he had considered friends Gazelle suddenly leaned her head against Raja’s shoulder, her entire body resting against him. The tiger wrapped his arm around her shoulder affectionately.

Bile rose in Wade’s throat as the car in front of him finally moved and the wolf nearly broke the speed limit getting away from them. He needed to get out of this truck before he crashed and there was only one place he had left.

            He parked in front of Kate’s thrift shop, jumped out and vomited on the pavement. He was being so _stupid_ and _pathetic_ and _creepy_. He doubted Gazelle and Raja were an item now but even if they were that shouldn’t make him sick. He had lived with a cloud over his head for years and he had never gotten physically sick because some celebrity was dating her back up dancer. WHY COULDN’T HE GO BACK TO THAT!??! When his life was terrible but he could _handle_ it!

 Wiping his mouth Wade staggered to the door of the still open thrift shop, pulling the door open and walking into the empty store.

“Aunt Kate?” he called his voice raspy, “You here?”

Out of the back came his aunt, looking surprised to see him. She rushed over when she saw how sick he looked.

“Wade,” she spoke softly, “Sweetie, what happened?”

Her expression brought his tears back and he gritted his teeth, “I felt, Aunt Kate. And I don’t want to feel anymore.”

Kate immediately pulled him into a hug and for once Wade accepted her comfort.

“It doesn’t stop,” he breathed, his voice shaky. “It just won’t stop.”

“Is it your parents again?” she asked bitterly, she held no love for her sister and her mate.

“No, I don’t care about them!” Wade snarled into his aunt’s ear. “It’s _her_! It’s Gazelle! I can’t…I can’t stop…” He couldn’t finish his sentence, his voice cracking.

“You care about her, baby,” Aunt Kate stated. “You cared about her so much. She was the first animal you’ve ever truly opened up to.”

“She broke her promise,” he growled. He had already told his aunt and sisters about the break up, saying they were upset was an understatement.

“I don’t think she ever meant to hurt you,” Kate insisted quietly.

“I can’t…” he moaned, burying his head in his aunt’s shoulder like he was a pup. “I’m scared…”

 

.

 

            Judy took Nick to meet Gideon. Once the two, along with Clawhauser and Fru Fru, walked into the bakery the husky fox broke into a delight smile that was aimed at Judy. It instantly put Nick on edge.

 He shook Gideon’s offered paw, it was bizarre to see another red fox in town that wasn’t him, his brother, or mother. “I’m Gideon Grey,” the fox greeted with a grin.

“A pleasure,” Nick replied coolly, pulling his paw away. “Nick Wilde.”

“Judy’s told me all about you,” the baker continued while Clawhauser and Fru Fru made themselves comfortable at their regular booth.

“Really?” Nick replied, “She didn’t tell me a thing about you.”

 “Nick,” Judy said warningly. “How about you go ahead and order something?”

            Nick examined the menu above Gideon’s head, “I’ll take the blueberry pie.”  
 “Good choice,” the other fox replied. He turned his smile to Judy, “The usual, Judes?”

Nick’s ears pricked, _Judes_?

She nodded with a smile, “I’m becoming predictable, huh?”

“I call it reliable,” Gideon replied before calling over to Clawhauser and Fru Fru to get their orders. Meanwhile Nick didn’t like the thought that she had come here so many times to the point she was ‘reliable’.

 Nick walked with Judy to her friends and they sat on the same bench together.

“So what do you think?” Fru asked the red fox. “This place is cute, right?”

 “Adorable,” Nick muttered, looking around the bakery that was the color of frosting.

“Wait till you try their food,” Clawhauser purred. “It’s like sugar Christmas in your mouth!”

 “Heh,” Nick replied. He then turned to look at Judy, “So…Judes?”

She gave him a weird look, “Yeah, that’s what he calls me.”

“Seems a little informal,” he remarked.

 “And Carrots isn’t?”

Clawhauser and Fru Fru giggled, noting Nick’s jealously but they mention it, instead Fru Fru bringing up Clawhauser’s dance practice that the four had just returned from.

The shrew and Judy gushed over the cheetah’s talent which made him blush and try to wave away their compliments. Nick resting his cheek on his paw and watched the three, he had been invited to go with them to the lesson and then have a snack at the bakery. He of course wasn’t going to say no, he loved Judy’s company and was still making up for Valentine’s Day-even if they did have a lot of fun at his place.

            When Gideon came over with their orders Nick was put back on edge. There was something about this fox that made his hackles rise; the way he smiled at Judy certainly didn’t help.

And tragically the slice of the blueberry pie he had ordered was some of the best he ever had and he had to use every ounce of his willpower not to devour it in one gulp like Judy and her friends were doing.

“Judes,” Gideon said a few minutes later when they were almost done with their sweets. “Can you come here for a second?”  
 “Sure,” Judy climbed out of the booth and Nick wanted to go after him but then told himself that was silly. What was the fat fox going to do? Make a move on Judy right in front of her boyfriend…she _did_ tell this Giddy what’s-it that she was dating Nick, _right_?

 The baker was whispering something to Judy, looking a mixture of excitement and anxiety, Judy’s ears pricked as she listened. Eventually her face grew thoughtful before she slowly shook her head. She glanced over at Nick for just a fraction of a second and her eyes looked…worried. Judy whispered something back to Gideon who nodded and the rabbit returned to the booth.

 “What was that about?” Nick asked, trying to sound causal.

“Oh he just…wanted to know what you thought about the pie. I told him you thought it was okay.”

Nick’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, “Uh-huh.”  
            Not long after they paid for their cake and pie and bid Gideon a farewell. The husky fox told Nick to come again anytime, Nick smiled politely with all the intention of never walking this street again.

He invited Judy to watch a movie at his place until his mother and Rick returned from shopping. Judy glanced at her friends, always considerate at making sure she didn’t ignore the two in favor of Nick.

“Go ahead,” Fru Fru waved her off. “Clawhauser is going to come with me to see the shop Bellwether’s going to give me.”

“You sure you don’t want me to come along?” she seemed reluctant to leave them.

“We’re only going because Bogo is at the gym and I’m single,” the shrew replied. “You have our blessing to go hang out with your boyfriend.”  
Nick really did like Fru Fru.

            He and Judy walked to his apartment in relative silence. But when the bunny closed the apartment door behind her she stated the obvious: “You didn’t like Gideon.”

Nick thought about lying but decided to go with the truth, “No, I did not.”  
The bunny placed her paws on her hips and thumped her foot on the floor, “Any specific reason?”  
 “There’s something off about him,” Nick shuddered.

Judy’s brow furrowed, “How so?”

At the risk of sounding possessive Nick opted not to tell her he didn’t like the way the baker had looked at her. “He’s too… _nice_.”

Judy’s eyebrows rose in disbelief, “Too nice…”

“Yeah,” Nick tried, “You never got edgy when an animal is just a bit too friendly.”  
 “I wouldn’t I’m as paranoid as you,” Judy replied. “Besides Gideon doesn’t have some sneaky agenda. He’s a really sweet guy that just wants to be your friend.”  
 “I don’t want to be his friend,” Nick muttered like a stubborn child. He couldn’t help it, all he could see was the smile that baker gave Judy and it tugged his stomach into knots.

“Nick,” Judy said with a slightly scolding tone but her eyes were concerned, “Why are you acting like this? What did Gideon do to get you so upset?”  
 Nick let out a heavy sigh, seems he _would_ have to come off as possessive. “I didn’t…I didn’t like the way he kept looking at you.”

“How did he look at me?”

 “Are you serious, Carrots?” Nick let out a sarcastic laugh. “He couldn’t stop smiling at you.”  
 “He’s a friend,” Judy tried to explain. “Friends are usually happy to see each other.”

 Nick glanced away with a hard edge in his emerald eyes, the knots in his stomach wouldn’t untie. “I think he had more than friendship on his mind.”  
 “Well you’re wrong,” Judy said flatly.

 Nick could tell he was getting on her nerves and tried to fix the tension in the air, “I just worry about you, Carrots. You always act nice to animals that don’t even deserve it.”

“That’s true,” she said softly, her eyes faraway.

Nick continued, “And I’m not always around to watch out for you and I don’t want some guy to try and harass you.”

Judy didn’t say anything so he fished for more words to splutter out of his mouth, “Maybe we can find a different bakery?”

 “Are you serious?” she asked, her voice slightly amused, slightly exasperated. “You really think it’s that serious. You think Gideon would attack me?”  
 “I don’t know what he’d do,” Nick tried, knowing he was digging himself into a hole. “That’s why I’m worried; he-he kept _leering_ over you. I don’t know how you could bare to be around him.”

 Judy stayed quiet, staring at him, and if Nick hadn’t been looking right at her he wouldn’t have seen the look in her violet eyes. It was like something inside her simply broke.

 She then took in a shuddering breath, “It’s easier than you think…After all, I _date_ a fox who betted he could get a dumb country bunny to sleep with him.”

 


	71. Chapter 71

Despite Judy’s words to Honey as soon as she entered the school building she picked up her pace, eager to find the key and get those handcuffs off her poor boyfriend.

She smiled to herself as she walked through the mostly barren hallways, her chest warm. She had been on cloud nine for a long time, reaching higher since the night at Wilde Times. Gosh, the way she felt about that silly fox and his silly puns and silly smile and silly attempts to encourage her to follow her dreams, it made her feel like she was in a silly romantic comedy where the girl’s foot popped when they kissed and cutesy pop music played in the background.

            Arriving at Mr. Woof’s empty classroom she slipped inside and found the key under Nick’s desk just as the fox had told her. But before Judy could stand up, key in paw, she heard the unmistakable whine of Weaselton: “I can’t believe I lost all that money to Wilde!”

 Judy’s ears shot up and she listened as another voice, she recognized is as the rat junior Richie, speak up: “I keep telling you not to make bets, bud.”

“But I really thought I had it in the bag,” Duke continued, “After all Hopps totally hated him when we made the bet.”  
 Judy’s heart fell.

“Yeah but she’s also a _rabbit_ ,” Richie stated as if that answered all their questions. “A _country_ rabbit at that, of course he’d be able to shag her before the end of January.”  
Weaselton grumbled, “Wonder what ol Nick is going to do with all that money. It wasn’t just me you know, it was like the thirteen of us who was sure the bunny had some self-respect.”  
Richie snorted, “Wilde proved you all wrong.”

 They continued chatting long after they walked out of earshot and Judy found herself sitting on her knees and staring at the key in her paw. Her ears falling over her shoulders and her heart was twisting painfully.

  _Weaselton was lying_. That was her first thought but she quickly realized that was wrong. It made no sense that the weasel would lie about losing money to his friend.

 _Nick had betted on her…Nick had_ bette _d on her…betted he could seduce her…_

 “He’s changed!” Judy insisted out loud, jumping to her feet. “Maybe-maybe he made this bet but…he changed. He loves me yeah he never said it but Nick speaks through actions not words. The bet doesn’t matter anymore…he cares about me…” She repeated those words over and over in her head as she returned to Nick and his friends, putting on a smile and giggling as he picked her up and spun her around. She took in his musk and his warmth and did her best to put this bet (this bet Nick no longer cared for _surely_ ) so far out of her mind she’d forget it completely.

 

.

 

            But she didn’t. It was always there, in the back of her mind, nipping at her brain even as she held Nick’s paw, laughed at his jokes, returned his tender smiles and told herself over and over again that he no longer cared about some stupid bet, only about _her_.

 It forced itself to the front of her mind the day Gideon Grey told her he was the bully from all those years ago. And as she forgave the husky fox she admitted she was trying to be forgiving because she realized that yes, she was _angry_. Of course she was angry, she and Nick hadn’t been on the best of terms at the time but it was no excuse to bet _money_ that he could convince her to _sleep_ with him. And not only that he never told her, for heaven’s sake she told him she _loved_ him and he never said a word!

But she tried to forgive, reminded herself of all the fox had done, of all he had showed her, had opened up to her. And for a while that worked. It worked on Valentines Day as she sat at the bowling alley and watched the St. Zoo Saints win their battle before Nick took her back to his apartment where they snuggled on his bed, talking and reading one of Bearstain’s books before the cuddling turned to touching and kissing and further.

            It worked until she thought it was a good idea to take Nick with her to Gideon Grey’s Bakery. She and the husky fox had become good friends but Nick had become paranoid and assumed there was more between them. She assumed it didn’t help when Gideon called her to his counter and asked if he should tell Nick that he and Gideon had met before, Judy had told him not, shaking her head and glancing at Nick who looked angry enough as it was. But the scene had brought her antagonism back and she confronted him at his apartment and Nick accusing her that she couldn’t handle herself. That he actually had to worry that _she_ would mess up the relationship had driven her over the edge and she had revealed what she knew.

 

.

 

            Now she stood there, Nick staring at her in horror. Judy’s ears had gone limp and her mouth was parted, she didn’t know if she should’ve said this sooner, she didn’t know if she shouldn’t have said anything at all. But Judy _did_ know that when she had come to Zootopia she hadn’t expected her life to become this crazy.

“What?” Nick breathed, still staring at her with wide, frightened eyes.

“I-I overheard Weaselton talking about how he lost the bet to you,” she stammered, trying to swallow but unable to. “I’ve known since that day with the handcuffs.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” he asked quietly.

“Why didn’t _you_ say anything,” Judy’s voice came out louder; the panic from admitting was replaced by that ever present anger. “Good God Nick, you bet that you could _sleep_ with me!”

 Nick ran his paws across his ears, digging his nails into his fur and letting out a suffering exhale of breath: “I was drunk,” he began. “I was drunk and angry and hurt because you went and helped me but then turn around and brought up my damned father and I just…I wasn’t in my right mind. At first that’s what it was, when I first started to flirt with you but then…then things changed…”

 “Did it?” she couldn’t help disbelief from creeping up into her voice, even if she didn’t feel it.

“Yes,” Nick snapped his green eyes raw. “I stopped being mad at you…I started caring about you…at that Halloween party when I finally got you to laugh.” He quickly added, “I don’t care about that bet.”  
 “Yet you took the money,” Judy pointed out softly, wrapping her arms around herself. “You got that money just a few short days after I slept with you, and you never told me anything.”  
 “Because I knew _this_ would happen,” Nick growled. “I wanted to forfeit the bet, I really did, but I was too drunk to realize that I didn’t have the money to pay if I lost.”

The bunny looked away, trying to make sense of all the emotions boiling inside her. She was angry at Nick, scared of him, scared _for_ him, wanting to forgive him, still loving him.

            “Judy,” his use of her real name brought her violet gaze back to him. Her throat closed up as she saw the regret and vulnerability in his emerald depths. “I’m sorry.”  
She sighed softly, sadly, regretfully. “I know,” she breathed. “But…it’s hard.” She took in a shuddering breath, “I tried to let it go, to forget about it, I really did. But it was always there in the back of my mind, whenever I saw you with money I wondered if it was the _bet_ money, I think about other vixens you’ve been with and if you’ve made any bets on them. I see you laughing with Honey and Finnick and I wonder if you’re laughing at _me_.”  
 “Stop it,” Nick’s voice cracked.

 “I’m sorry,” Judy’s voice rasped as if she had been sobbing but she had yet shed a tear. “I don’t know if I can trust you.”

 Nick flinched and took a step back as if her words had stabbed him, his eyes flashed with something akin to betrayal and his mouth thinned into an angry line.

 “You don’t trust me?” he asked his voice quiet yet sharp. “You don’t _trust me_?”

Judy’s brow knit, trying to hold on to the righteousness that Nick was the one in the wrong, but the fox kept talking.

 “Pissed off at me? I get that, that bet was easily the dumbest thing I’ve ever done! Want to hit me? Kick me? Go ahead, I deserve it. But you don’t trust me? I opened up about my dad, about Sue, I showed you _Wilde Times_! I did things for you I never did for any animal _ever_ and you think I did that all so you’d have sex with me and I’d win a _bet_!?”  
 Judy opened and closed her mouth but no words could come out. Finally Nick turned his head away sharply; his green eyes hard, “Don’t worry rabbit you don’t have to say it. I’m just an _untrustworthy fox_ after all.”

 Judy’s jaw dropped in horror; she couldn’t believe Nick had played the species card. Being a fox had nothing to do with this and she was about to tell him that when suddenly there came a soft knock at the door.

            The two looked toward it, eyebrows knitted in confusion. The Wilde family didn’t get visitors and if it had been Rick and Amelia or one of Nick’s friends they would’ve just opened the door.

Judy looked to Nick who hadn’t budged, then decided she wanted a distraction from this awful conversation. She knew it was cowardly but that didn’t stop her from walking over to the door.

 “Hey, you can’t just-” Nick began but stopped talking when Judy turned the knob and opened the door. The rabbit’s eyes widened when she saw who stood before her, his paw raised to knock again.

 It was a fox that looked like an older version of Rick, eyes a slightly lighter shade of blue and his fur the same dark russet. He looked at Judy with confusion before glancing over her ears.

 His ears pricked as he saw Nick, he offered an awkward smile, “Nicholas-you’ve grown.”

 Judy looked over her shoulder to see Nick staring at the older vulpine with open confusion, anger, and heartbreak.

 He breathed a word that rocked Judy to her core: “Dad?”  
 


	72. Chapter 72

Instant dislike surged up Judy’s spine and her face twisted into a scowl as she looked at the fox that had abandoned Nick when he was just a kit.

But the fox didn’t notice her expression, walking past her and into the apartment toward his son. He wore an awkward smile, eyes hesitant.

His expression not changing Nick took a step back when Max Wilde got too close, causing the older fox to halt. “It’s-it’s good to see you,” he mumbled.

“Is it?” Nick breathed his voice gruff and his bow furrowing as he looked at the fox. It was like he didn’t really believe it was his father before him.

 Max nodded earnestly, looking around the apartment, “Where’s your mother and brother?”

“Not here.”  
            Max’s eyes found Judy and his eyebrows rose when he saw the scowl the rabbit still wore, “And she’s…?”

Nick looked to her as well, his green eyes still raw before he quickly glanced away, “She was just leaving.”

Judy felt her insides twist at being so obviously dismissed, and she hated the thought of leaving him alone with his father. But even if they hadn’t just fought what stood before Judy wasn’t her business and she all but ran out the of the apartment, her eyes stinging.

 

.

 

            Rick held the door open for his mother as she walked into the lobby, both carrying grocery bags. Rick glanced back outside to where the sky was turning gray with rain clouds. The two silently headed toward the stairs but were nearly crashed into by a ball of gray fur.

 “Judy!” Rick exclaimed, ears pricked as the rabbit skidded to a halt to keep from knocking into them.

“S-sorry,” Judy stuttered and Rick noticed how her eyes looked glassy.

“You aren’t leaving now are you, sweetie?” Amelia asked with concern. “A storm’s coming. You’re free to stay for dinner.”  
 Rick had never seen an animal look so torn as Judy did right then but ultimately she shook her head and moved toward the door, “I-I really need to go. I’m sorry.” And then she was out the door.

            Rick cursed under his breath, “What did Nick do _this_ time?”

His mother sighed as they continued their way up the stairs, “Whatever it is I hope they work it out. That bunny has really brought out the better side of him.”

“Yeah so he better treat her right,” Rick grumbled as they made it to their door, he opened it as he spoke: “Nick I don’t what happened between you and Judy but you better-” Rick’s voice stopped as a stone lodged itself into his throat and the groceries slipped from his fingers. Behind him his mother gasped softly.

            There, right in front of him, was Max Wilde. Standing in the middle of the living room like he had never left, talking to Nick who looked to be in a state of disbelief. Max turned to the door when he heard Rick speak, he tried for an awkward smile when he saw his eldest son and ex-wife. “Hey… Long time no see.”

 Rage instantly burned in Rick’s belly, the flames licking at his heart and his lips curling up into a snarl. In his mind all he could see was Max with his ‘new and improved’ family, and after Rick managed to get over him he had the _audacity_ to come back to the home he ran away from.

 Rick took a threatening step forward, his claws flexing involuntarily, “Get out.”

Max wore a guilty expression that did nothing to douse the flames, “Listen son-”

“DON’T CALL ME SON!!!” It was only Amelia’s perfect timing that kept Rick from trying to claw Max’s eyes out, Amelia wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him in place. Rick didn’t struggle against her.

“Take your brother to your room,” she ordered, still restraining him. “Your father and I need to talk.”

“He’s not my father,” Rick snapped, his voice cracking.

“Take Nick to your room,” Amelia repeated, releasing him.

            He obeyed, grabbing Nick’s arm and dragging him to his bedroom where he slammed the door behind him. That seemed to shake Nick out of his shock as his shoulders dropped and he leaned against the closed door. “He actually came back.”

“He should’ve stayed gone,” Rick snarled, sitting down on his bed and resting his head in his paws, nails digging into his skin.

The two were silent for a few moments before Nick broke the quiet that filled the heavy atmosphere, “He’s seeing someone, isn’t he?”

His words had Rick lifting his head off his paws to look at his brother with wide blue eyes, “How did you figure it out?”

 Nick chuckled bitterly, his cheek pressed against the door and his eyes on the ceiling, his ears were pricked as if he was trying to hear the conversation going on between Amelia and Max. “I’m not stupid. You and Mom didn’t tell me anything and never thought I’d figure it out…there was only so many things it could be.”

“Sorry,” Rick mumbled softly, his ears pressing back against his skull. “You just took it harder than any of us, Nick.”  
”I wasn’t the one trying to claw Dad’s eyes out,” his brother shot back.

Rick flinched but couldn’t help to add: “Don’t call him that. He’s not our father, not anymore.” Nick didn’t say more and Rick let out a depressed sigh, “He has a new family.”  
Nick’s ear twitching was the only indicator that he was listening to his brother. Rick went on, “I saw him when I was in Manehattan. He was with the vixen he had cheated with…and-and they had two kits, they were about six.”

“…Did he look happy?” Nick’s voice sounded like it would break with just the slightest intake of breath.

“Yeah,” Rick didn’t lie. “He looked really happy.”

 Nick’s eyes slammed shut, his face scrunching in pain and claws digging into his arm. Rick wanted to stand up and comfort his baby brother but he just felt so tired at that moment.

            Wanting a different topic to take them away from this reality, if only temporary, he spoke: “Nick?”

“Hmm?”

“I ran into Judy in the lobby, why did she look like she was going to cry?”

This was the wrong topic change. Nick sucked in a breath and slid down to sit on the floor, covering his eyes with his paws. He exhaled and the air came out as a shudder, Rick looked at him with concern: “ _Nick_?”

“I messed up,” he hissed through his clenched teeth. “I messed up.”

 Rick reached a paw out as if to comfort him but the younger fox kept talking: “I did something really stupid and she found out and confronted me… I told her I was sorry, that is didn’t matter anymore, but she…” His voice dwindled off.

“But she…” Rick tried to coax.

 Suddenly Nick jumped to his feet and ran to stand right before his brother, teeth bared and eyes red. “She said she didn’t _trust_ me!”

Rick pulled back from the close proximity, “What did you do?”  
”I made a bet when I was drunk. A crazy stupid bet that I don’t care about anymore! But she…I told her about Da-Max, Rick. I told her about Sue… I never told anyone about Sue. I shared with her a secret that you and Mom don’t even know about and don’t bother asking what it is.”

Nick sat down on the bed, looking drained, “I shared so many things with her that I never thought I’d share with anyone…and she said she can’t trust me, basically saying I’m a devious fox.” He met Rick’s sapphire eyes, “A part of me completely understands, I know I hurt her. But the other part is just hitting me in the head over and over because I did it again, I put down my walls and I paid for it. I don’t-I _can’t_ be with someone who can’t trust me, because if I do it’s only a matter of time”-he sent a mournful look to the door where beyond his parents talked-“Until I end up like them.”

 

.

 

            Judy didn’t run for long, despite the rumbling of thunder overhead and the random drops of ran that started to splatter the sidewalk. She held her arms around herself and tried to blink back the moistness in her eyes.

She couldn’t tell what she should be feeling right now. Anger? Guilt? She decided to choose grief. And then she decided not to think at all, no matter how good of grades she got she couldn’t fathom how this mess was going to work out. If it would work out at all.

            She was so busy _not_ thinking she didn’t pay attention when she turned the corner and bumped into a much taller mammal.

“Sorry,” she said quickly, taking a few steps back and rubbing her nose, “I didn’t-oh, Wade!”

The black timber wolf looked like he needed a moment to remember who she was, but when he did he pointed a finger at her, “Hopps?”

She nodded, “It’s good to see you. How you’ve been?”

He looked slightly suspicious but her innocent questioning but finally just shrugged, “Working.”

“Aren’t you coming back to school?” she asked, her ears dropping and eyes wide with concern.

The wolf looked away, clearing growing uncomfortable, “I think I know enough to make it.”

Judy pouted up at him just before a raindrop plopped onto her nose, said body part twitching she looked up at the dark sky.

“Storm’s about to hit,” Wade stated the obvious, following her eyes.

“Yeah…hey, you thirsty?”

 The wolf met her gaze with a question mark on his face, “Why?”

 _Because at the moment I think you’re the only one who has an inkling to how I feel_ , Judy thought before saying, “I don’t think we’ll beat the storm, plus I know a pretty great bakery.”

 She reached out and grabbed the wolf’s wrist, feeling him flinch under her fingers as she led him down the street and to the Grey Bakery, making it inside the pastry shop just before the storm hit.

            Judy looked over her shoulder at the pelting storm while Wade slipped his wrist out of her paw, looking around the bakery hesitantly.

“Quite a storm out there,” Gideon’s voice piped up as he walked out of the shop’s kitchen, rubbing flour on his already stained apron. “Feel free to stay as long as it-Judes! What are you doing back so soon?” He smiled with confusion at the bunny before letting out a soft yip of fright when his eyes landed on the tall wolf beside her.

“This is Wade,” she introduced. “I wanted to buy him a drink.” She looked up at the still nervous wolf, “Cider or hot chocolate? It’s on me.”

“I can pay for it,” he insisted.

“Yeah but I’m kinda forcing you to hang out with me, the least I can do is buy your drink.” Judy hopped onto one of the stools at the counter, after a moment Wade sat down next to her and she ordered them two piping hot mugs of cider.

 When Gideon disappeared into the kitchen to fetch their drinks Judy let out a sigh and rested her cheek against the counter, Wade’s ears pricked at her sudden melancholy. He laid his own cheek down on the counter so their eyes met, “Problem?”

Judy let out a bitter chuckle, “I’ve got ninety nine problems…and a fox is one.”  
Wade snorted at her choice of words, “Preaching to the choir. What happened with you and Wilde?”

 “What happened with you and Gazelle?” she shot back.

The wolf’s eyebrows rose before his green eyes narrowed, “You don’t know?”

“No one knows,” Judy replied. “Gazelle refuses to talk to anyone about it…She’s heartbroken,” she decided to add.

Wade let out an exhale, his breath ruffling Judy’s muzzle, “I saw her not too long ago…She was with Raja.”

 Judy’s brow furrowed, “And?”

Wade lifted his head and gave her a weird look, “I figured they became a couple.”

 Judy sat up straight as well and gave him a scowl, “No offense, Wade. But that’s really stupid. Gazelle’s in love with _you_.”

Her words made him cringe and he glared at her, but Wade no longer scared her like he used to. “I thought you were in love with Wilde.”

Those words drove a spike through Judy’s heart and her ears fell, “I still am but…I think I ruined what we had.”

 “What do you mean?” Gideon’s louder drawl made the two startle as he came back in with two steaming mugs. Wade instantly took a gulp of his when it was offered to him, while Judy held the mug between her paws, letting the warmth seep into her fingers. “Nick and I got into a fight,” she said numbly.

 Gideon looked horrified, “It’s not because of me, was it? I got the feeling he didn’t like me.”  
 Judy shook her head, “This argument was going to happen sooner or later, but I didn’t think it would happen like this.” She looked at the wolf and fox before her with a mournful expression, “I told Nick I didn’t trust him and…you should’ve seen the look on his face.”

“I think I could imagine,” Wade mumbled more to himself than her.

 “What did he do?” Gideon asked worriedly.

“I’d rather not say,” Judy replied. “He said he was sorry, and he is, I get that. But I…” she dwindled off, taking a sip of her cooling cider.

            “Can I offer some advice?” Gideon asked cautiously, addressing both Judy and Wade.

She nodded while Wade was finishing up his drink.

“I think everyone deserves a second chance,” he began. “I mean, I was a major jerk when I was a kit. But I got a second chance and look at me now.” He indicated to the bakery with a fond smile on his face. “And Judes, you forgave me pretty easily and I bullied you.”

This was true but Nick and Gideon weren’t the same. She had spent more time with Nick, got to know him, flirted with him, solved mysteries together, took him to Bunnyburrow, danced with him, kissed him, they had made love and Judy had fallen in love.

That’s why it hurt so much more, why there was a rotten part of her that didn’t want to forgive.

 But at the same time a bigger part of her that fluttered and soared when Nick held her, knew Gideon had a point. If nothing else Nick deserved a second chance after all he had shared with her.

            Wade placed his now empty mug down, “That may work for some,” he rumbled to Gideon, “But not for me.” He fished out a fistful of dollars and placed them on the counter despite Judy saying she’d cover the bill. He nodded to her before slipping off the stool and heading out of the bakery, the rain having let up.

 

.

 

            The two brothers had put on a random movie, neither really paying attention to the screen. The movie was halfway through when Amelia opened the door, looking exhausted.

“He wants to talk with you two,” she told her sons as they leapt off the bed and hurried to her side.

Her words made Rick bare his fangs, “No.”  
 “Richard…” Amelia breathed sadly.

“If I go in there I’ll hit him,” Rick snapped stubbornly.

Amelia looked to Nick. He let out a breath and nodded, “I’ll go.”

He walked past his mother and brother, who gave him a betrayed look, and walked down the hall and into the kitchen.

            Max was standing by the table, looking at the refrigerator that had pictures of Amelia and the boys. They had thrown away any pictures of Max.

He looked up as Nick walked in, trying to offer a reassuring smile. “I’ve missed you,” he stated simply.

Nick scowled at his father, “You’ll understand if I don’t believe you.” His voice was hoarse.

“I do,” Max replied. “But it’s the truth and I…I decided it was time to do something I should’ve done five years ago.”

He took a step forward and Nick felt his hackles rise, his father moved no closer, “Nick I…I fell in love.”

The young red fox did not like hearing that word from the father who cheated on his wife and left his kits. It cheapened the word ‘love’, made it feel not as important, not as good.

“And I’ll be the first to admit that it was wrong of me to do what I did,” Max continued. “I should’ve been honest with your mother from the start, honest with you and Rick…where is he, by the way?”

“He doesn’t want to talk to you,” Nick said sharply, hoping the jagged edges of his tone would cut at Max.

 The older fox sent a guilty look past Nick, “I can understand that.”

“He saw you with her,” Nick growled. “You had kits with her.”

“I told your mother about us when I found out she was pregnant,” Max explained.

“Rick said you looked happy.”  
 “I am.”

 “Then why did you come back!?” Nick snarled, his fur bristling. “Why couldn’t you leave us alone? You were doing a pretty good job of it for the past five years!”

“I still love you and your brother, Nick,” Max said calmly. “I still want to be part of your lives. And I want you to be a part of mine.”

 His words left Nick reeling, that wasn’t what he had expected to come from this visit. He licked his lips and tried to speak, “Really?”

Max nodded furiously, “Yes. And not just me.” He pulled out his phone from his pocket and showed Nick a photo of two fox kits, a boy and a girl that looked to be six, smiling at the camera. “This is Millie and Martin, you’re half-siblings.”

 Nick had taken the phone and only then realized his paw was trembling. Millie had Max’s blue eyes; Martin had the exact same red shade.

“I told them about you,” Max went on, “They want to meet you.”

Nick handed the phone back, “What about your brand new wife?” He couldn’t keep the bitterness out of his words, not that he necessarily wanted to.

 “She understands,” Max explained, “She wants us to make up.”

Nick forced himself to swallow and considered Max’s offer. He was still mad, furious. But it wasn’t Nick the uncaring junior that stood before Max; it was Nick the younger ranger scout who had just wanted his father back. And with the fight with Judy still fresh in his mind Nick didn’t want to leave burned bridged be if the could be fixed.

“This summer,” Nick said, “I’ll-I’ll meet those two in the summer. But that’s all I’m promising.” He glared at his father, “And its way more than you deserve… But I’ll try.”

Max looked to have deflated with relief and he nodded, “Of course, yes. Thank you, Nick.” He offered a hesitant smile, “You won’t regret this Nick, I swear.”

Nick didn’t know about that but he nodded anyway, shaking the paw his father offered.

            A few minutes later Max had left and Amelia sat on the couch with Nick, Rick pacing the living room floor.

“I can’t believe you agreed to that,” Rick snarled at Nick but keeping his eyes on the floor as he paced. “After everything he did.”

“I’m not like you, Rick,” Nick said tiredly, emotionally drained and unsure what he was going to do tomorrow.

“What do you mean,” Rick stopped walking to glare at his brother. “You mean you can just forgive the fox that abandoned us and left us to fend for ourselves?”

“I don’t know,” Nick leaned back against the couch, closing his eyes as an ache throbbed behind his eyes.

 “Leave your brother alone, Rick,” Amelia ordered, looking on edge. Both her sons turned their eyes to her.

“I can’t believe you’re not mad,” Rick muttered, “After he cheated on you and left you to raise two kits on your own.”  
 Amelia’s muzzle was twisted into guilt and it sent Nick on edge, “Mom? What aren’t you telling us?”

 Amelia, crushed under her sons’ suspicious looks, she hung her head in shame. “Your father didn’t abandon you. He wanted to take you both with him.”

Rick’s jaw dropped and Nick’s eyes widened, “What?”

Amelia ran her paw across her face, “You two were all I had left; I begged him not to take you. I know I wasn’t doing either of you a favor but…” She sniffled, her green eyes quickly becoming glassy. “I was already heartbroken that I wasn’t enough for him, I couldn’t have him take the two best things that had ever happened to me. And I didn’t tell you this because I wanted you two to hate him as much as I did…I’m so sorry, boys.”

            Nick immediately wrapped his arms around his mother, snuggling into her side.

“I still hate him,” Rick said, though the fury had drained from his voice. He sat down on Amelia’s other side, “Just because he wanted to take us with him doesn’t mean what he did to you wasn’t wrong and cruel.”

“We would’ve stayed with you,” Nick’s voice cracked, his face buried in his mother’s neck. “Just because I said I’d spend time with him doesn’t mean I don’t love you, Mom. I’ll always love you more; you did so much for us when you didn’t have to. That other vixen could never replace you.”

Amelia wrapped her arms around her sons and pulled them closer to her, tears now freely running down her cheeks. “You’re good kits,” she breathed before kissing their foreheads, “You’re _my_ good kits.”

Nick took in the comforting scent of his mother’s perfume, felt Rick wrap his tail around his, and let it mend his tattered heart.

 No matter what happened this summer with his father, no matter what happened tomorrow with Judy, these two foxes sitting with him would always be that-with him.


	73. Chapter 73

Rick slipped off the couch, being sure to grab the quilt off the armchair and drape it over his now snoozing mother and brother. His ears couldn’t help falling back in pity; none of them had been prepared for the emotional storm the day had brought. Rick, however, was too wired to sleep and he knew the exact animal to call for this.

Stepping out of the apartment with his wallet in his pocket and phone in paw, he dialed May’s number. She picked up on the third ring.

“Hello?” she greeted in a sleep-crusted voice.

The sound made Rick’s steps falter, “I’m sorry May. Were you asleep?”

“Oh no, no, no,” she insisted before a loud yawn blasted into the fox’s ear. “I’ve been up for hours.”  
 “It’s fine if you’re tired,” Rick assured, finding it odd she was sleeping when it had just turned six.

 “I’m fine,” she replied, sounding more awake. “Now what did you call me for?”

“Well, um-I had hoped we could hang out. See the sights? That’s one great thing about Zootopia. There are a lot of sights to see.”

There was silence on the other line for several moments before May spoke: “Rick, is something wrong?”

 He couldn’t even hide it when they were talking on the phone. “Yeah,” he decided to be honest. “Something’s very wrong.”

“Where do you want to meet?” she asked softly.

After giving her an address Rick hung up and nearly ran out the building, taking a deep breath of damp air as he walked down the puddle-pocked street to meet one of the few mammals who could really help him relax.

            May was already at the chosen destination: Waterhole Square. It was a hot spot similar to Cape Street with many shops and a beautiful fountain in the middle of the circle of buildings, mammals of all shapes and sizes walking around and living their lives. Rick had never really gone to Waterhole Square before as it was farther from his apartment but he didn’t want to take her to Cape Street, there were many memories there he didn’t want to scribble over with new ones.

May was gazing at the water fountain shaped like two elephants when Rick silently reached her side. She jumped slightly when she saw the fox standing by her and quickly turned to face him, “Hey, so what’s-”

 Rick fell forward into May’s arms; she just barely managed to catch him. “Uh,” she began, “Okay?”

 “Sorry,” he mumbled, breathing in her scent, “My dad came back.”  
 She tensed under him and pulled back so she could look him in the eye, “Why was he there?”  
 Rick sat down at the edge of the fountain, May quickly joining him, her purple eyes full of concern. “According to Nick and my mom he was there to tell me and my brother that he wanted us back in his life, even wanted us to meet his new kits.”

“According to Nick and your mom?” she echoed, her nose scrunched up, “You didn’t talk to him?”

 “Oh, I did,” Rick chuckled humorlessly. “I told him to get out, and to not call me son and I tried to claw his eyes out.”

Her brows rose but he saw a trace of wry amusement in her eyes, “Wow.”  
 “Yeah, Mom sent me to my room and I refused to come back out until he left. Nick told me he’s going to try and spend time with him and those kits this summer,” Rick went on.

“And you?”

“I don’t know,” Rick sighed. “But I mean, it’s pretty petty that my baby brother can let what Max did go and I can’t.”

May shrugged, “I’m afraid I don’t have much experience in this.” She leaned forward to be nose to nose with Rick and for a second the fox thought she was going to kiss him. “How are you feeling?”

 “Okay,” he replied.

“Not angry?”

 He made a so-so gesture with his paw, “I guess, a part of me will always be angry at him but I don’t feel like bursting into tears or kicking a wall or clawing his eyes out.”

 May nodded with a satisfied expression, “That’s good, that’s good.”

“I guess part of that is because Mom just told me he didn’t abandon me and Nick,” Rick admitted, “He wanted to take us but Mom begged him to not to. I’m so glad he listened to her.”

 May leaned against his shoulder, snuggling into his side, “I really wish I had a space auditorium in my pocket right now.”  
 Rick let out a genuine chuckle, “Too bad.”

“But so you’re not angry?” she wanted to make sure, “At least not claw the guy’s eyes out angry?”

“Yeah,” Rick said. “I think I’m going to be good. After all I still have Mom, Nick…and you.”  
 May tensed against him and Rick instantly knew the problem, he rolled his eyes, “You’re going to be going back to Manehattan soon, aren’t you?”

“Tomorrow,” she cringed.

 Rick blinked down at her, “ _That’s_ why you were asleep so early, May why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because you needed me,” she said simply. “And I didn’t want to pass up spending more time with you.”  
 “We need to plan it out,” Rick said, turning his body toward her with his eyes serious, “I want to be able to spend more time with you, May…as much as possible.”

She blushed under his intense look and glanced away, “Y-yeah that would be great. For you, I mean,” she tried to teasingly smile under her flushed cheeks, “I could bless you with my presence more often.”  
 Rick pulled his lips back into a grin that showed all his teeth, “Sounds like a dream come true.” His expression became thoughtful, “Maybe I could attend a college in Manehattan.”

“I don’t want you to settle for me, Rick.”  
 “There are lots of great colleges in Manehattan,” he pointed out, “Besides I haven’t picked out a dream college yet anyway.”  
May opened her mouth to say something but Rick cut her off, “Enough about family baggage and Manehattan, let’s just enjoy the evening.” He looked up at the now clear sky that was twinkling with the first stars, “It is quite nice.”

            Just then the sound of an accordion drifted through the air. Across from them was a jaguar sitting on a bench and playing the instrument with a peaceful expression on his face. May then stood up and offered him a hoof, her smile wide.

Rick returned it and took her hoof, standing to his feet, interlocking fingers and holding waists the two danced around the fountain to the accordion’s song, not too different from that time in the hospital that felt just like yesterday.

As they moved Rick noted how relaxed he was with May, how he could so easily get lost in her eyes that glimmered with amusement and cheekiness, how soft she was under his paws.

 Rick’s smile grew when he came to a realization. “I’m in love with you,” he breathed.

May’s eyes bulged and her pink skin turned crimson. She let out a noise of embarrassment and buried her face in his chest, making Rick snicker.

 “If you’re twisting my arm about it…” she mumbled into his fur, “I guess I…kinda-sorta, love you too…kinda.”  
 Rick stopped dancing even though the accordion kept playing, he held May tightly to him for a second before lifting his paws to cup her face and make her meet his eyes. He smiled sincerely, sapphire gaze shimmering, and kissed her.

 

.

 

            Judy walked into St. Zoo with dread twisting her insides up to the point it was painful. As she walked down the hall and retrieved/deposited her books in her locker she kept her eyes and ears open for Nick, her mind racing as she tried to figure out what she was going to say to the fox. She had spent all night wondering the exact same thing but still had no answer.

 _Hey I still have some trust issues but I’m willing to give you a second chance?_ She leaned her forehead against her now closed locker door, letting out a frustrated groan. Judy was going to have to wing it. She hated winging it.

            “What’s up, Judy?” Fru Fru’s concerned squeak had the rabbit straightening up. Ben was walking toward her, Fru on his shoulder. “Are you alright?”

Judy thought about telling them about the bet but decided against it, there was no need for them to know. And there was no need for them to know about the argument, not if she can fix it.

“I’m fine, but I need to find Nick,” she explained.

 Ben smiled cheekily, “Need a morning kiss to get you through first period. I’ve been there.” He sighed dreamily and Fru Fru rolled her eyes, her single status was making her slightly bitter to the cheetah’s fawning of his boyfriend.

 Judy smiled painfully and excused herself before walking down the hall, but knowing the two they wouldn’t be that far behind, but hopefully they’d stay out of earshot.

            She found Nick just outside the door of his first class, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed as he talked to Honey and Finnick.

Judy stopped a few feet away from them and hesitantly cleared her throat to get their attention. Honey’s eyes widened when she saw the rabbit and Finnick wore a guilty expression, Judy hadn’t even thought that those two would be apart of the bet. She quickly bit down the bile that was rising up, she wasn’t here to be angry she was here to let that go.

 “Can-can we talk?” Judy asked Nick.

 The fox hadn’t looked away from his two friends, “Can we?” His voice was detached.

 “We’ll just-” Finnick began awkwardly, grabbing Honey’s paw and pulling her away. “We’ll leave you guys alone.”

Honey gave Nick a look of motherly concern while Finnick cringed apologetically to Judy and then they were turning the hallway and disappearing. Judy had a feeling that, just like Ben and Fru, they wouldn’t go far.

            Nick finally turned his eyes toward her, the emerald gaze venomous and Judy straightened her back. “What happened with your dad?”

“Nothing important,” he muttered shortly.

Judy was full of curiosity but knew better than to press it, that wasn’t the reason she was here, “We need to talk.”

“I think we said plenty yesterday,” he replied with a curl of his lip.

 “After I left your apartment I got advice from Gid-from a _friend_ ,” she corrected when she saw how Nick’s eyes narrowed. “And I want to take it.”

 “And what is this amazing advice from Gid-friend?” Nick asked sarcastically.

 “You deserve a second chance,” Judy said, trying to put as much sincerity as possible into her voice. “I want to give you one.”    
She didn’t know what Nick’s reaction would be but she never imagined he’d throw his head back and laugh harshly, Judy shrunk into herself.

“So then,” he turned his body to face her, teeth bared in a nasty smile, “You’re willing to give this _deceitful fox_ a second chance?”

Judy’s brow furrowed, “Stop saying that, you being a fox has nothing to do with this.”

“Sorry, so then you’re willing to give this _deceitful boy_ a second chance. Or does me being a boy have nothing to do with it?”

 “How can you be mad at me?” Judy demanded softly. “ _You_ were the one that made that bet.”

“Yeah, I did. Then I went and started to care for you and opened my heart out to you so of course, you can’t trust me.”  
 “Please stop it,” Judy insisted softly, her gut twisting, “I’m trying to tell you I’m sorry.”  
 Nick leaned down and rested his paws on his knees so he was eye level with her, “I don’t want your apology, I want your trust. Do you have that? Be honest.”

 His eyes were so unnerving at that moment, Judy opened her mouth to reply but no words came out. She tried to imagine life after this talk, dating Nick and seeing him pay for things, talk out of earshot, laugh at something she wasn’t a part of; she gritted her teeth as she realized that she couldn’t give him an honest yes.

 Nick read her answer in her expression and she could’ve sworn he swallowed painfully before nodding and standing up straight, “That’s what I thought. Let me _share_ one more thing with you, Carrots. My ideal girl is one who has faith in me, and I refuse to be with someone who doesn’t meet that requirement… I’m not going to end up like my parents; it was the distrust that tore them apart long before she found out what he did.”

 Judy flinched and took a step back, “So what? That’s it?”

“Stop looking so heartbroken,” Nick grumbled his voice tight and angry. “You should be happy now. I made a _bet_ , I _used_ you, and I’m-and I’ll never be able to express this enough- _untrustworthy_.”

 Judy let her head fall, staring down at the tile floor beneath her, not catching the miserable look Nick gave her before turning around and walking down the hall after his friends.

            A few moments later Fru Fru and Benjamin ran up to Judy, showering her with worried questions.

“What happened?” Ben asked his brown eyes wide.

Judy stood up and tried to offer her friends a reassuring smile, “Nick and I…we just broke up.”  
 Her friends looked at her with shocked horror and she quickly shook her head, “It-it’s fine, we were in different places…things came up…it didn’t work, but it’s fine.”

 “Sweetie…” Ben began pitifully.

“You’re crying,” Fru breathed.

 Judy then realized her eyesight was becoming blurry, she wiped at her eyes but the tears wouldn’t stop. She tried to suck in a breath, tried to calm herself down but the harder she tried the more tears came, her shoulders shook and she ended up breaking into sobs.

 Ben opened his arms and Judy buried her face into her friend’s soft belly, clutching his shirt and crying harder. Ben hugged her to him while Fru Fru crawled down to Judy’s shoulder, stroking Judy’s ear in comfort. Neither spoke again.

 

 


	74. Chapter 74

Sven sat at his breakfast table, enjoying a bowl of Snow Flakes while his father walked around the kitchen, talking animatedly to one of his composer friends on the phone, his mother having already left for work.

Next to his cereal bowl Sven’s phone buzzed and he didn’t have to check to know it was from Winter, the silly arctic fox had been teasing him and Charlie mercilessly since the day after Valentine’s Day. As soon as they had sat down that next day in the cafeteria she had jumped to her feet and pointed at them with an ecstatic smile on her face.

 “You two totally did it,” she whispered happily. “Your scent’s on her and your scent’s on him and this is now in the top five of the best days of my life.” And then they had gotten a hug and much teasing.

            But still after Valentine’s Day Sven felt more secure in his and Charlie’s relationship, more confident about what would lay ahead for them.

Then there was a knock at the door. His father sent him a beseeching look and Sven nodded, placing his now empty bowl in the sink, pocketing his phone and grabbing his bag before he rushed to the threshold and threw the door open.

Standing before him was Mrs. Spotwood.

            Charlie’s mother furrowed her brow, “There’s no need to hang your jaw like that, Sven.”

The reindeer quickly clamped his mouth shut then tried to speak, “M-M-Mrs. Spotwood? C-Can I help you?”

The cheetah lifted on her tiptoes to look past his antlers, “Is Charlotte here?”  
 “No, ma’am,” Sven quickly answered. “She’s been staying with Winter.”

“Hmm,” Mrs. Spotwood hummed then turned her eyes back to his. “Do you have the time for a walk?”

“Yes,” he replied immediately even though he didn’t. He turned to look toward the kitchen were his father still talked, “Dad, I’m going!”

“Have a good day!” his father called back and then Sven was closing the door behind him.

            In awkward silence the two walked down the street, randomly heading toward the park. Sven had a momentary flash of panic, wondering if his girlfriend’s mother planned on killing him and hiding his body in some bushes.

When she spoke Sven nearly jumped out of his skin, “How is she?”  
 “G-Good,” Sven stammered. “Winter’s happy to have her, she’s still doing good in class and in sports.”  
 “You know she waited until her father and I were out of the house before coming to fetch her things,” her mother replied softly.  
 “I did know that,” Sven said.

“She left her family, her home, for you.” They had reached the park and she stopped, turning to face him head on, Sven took slight comfort that he was taller than her, “Why makes _you_ so special?”  
 “You don’t want to hear it,” he said with a cringe.

“Tell me anyway.”  
 “I’m special because I love her,” Sven replied. “And she loves me.”  
 “So she had told me,” Mrs. Spotwood growled.

“I didn’t want her to leave her home like that, ma’am,” he tried to insist, “For a while I didn’t think I was worth doing that.”

“But now you do?” she asked, cocking a well-manicured eyebrow.

“Yes,” he wet his lips, “Mrs. Spotwood I know you don’t get it. I know that we’re different species and we’ll have problems, do have problems that most couples are never going to have. But those problems are worth it because we’ve been in love with each other since we were two.”

 He indicated to the other animals of that park, big and small, predator and prey, they were talking and laughing together and not seeing the difference between paws and hooves. “If we can be friends then I don’t see how we can’t be more.”

 Mrs. Spotwood looked at the packs of mammals of the park, her expression unreadable. Sven went on, “We were separated for years, but my heart only skipped for her. And you raised her, you know she never showed interest to any other boys, any other cheetahs.”

            He closed his mouth, waiting for her to speak. It was several minutes before she did. “I love my daughter, Sven. It may not seem like it but it broke my heart when she walked out that door.” She turned around to look at him, her expression confused, “I don’t understand how she can love you, I do not understand how a mammal can love a different species…but you say you do love her.”  
 “With all my heart, ma’am,” he added.

Mrs. Spotwood nodded, “I’ve known you for years and you’re the most painfully honest boy I know. You love her, and I love her…and that’s one thing we have in common, I suppose that’s the only thing we really need to have in common.”  
 Sven’s eyes widened, “Ma’am?”

 “I came here to negotiate a…a truce, if you will,” Mrs. Spotwood explained. “I want my daughter back in my life, Sven. As does her father. And if we have to accept the fact she is…with you to do that then we will.”

She lifted her paw, offering it to Sven, he shook it hesitantly, hardly daring to believe that this was happening. “When you see my daughter,” Mrs. Spotwood continued, “Tell her that while you may not be the most willingly welcomed, you’re still welcome into our home.”  


.

 

            It was like she was a cub again, Sven didn’t arrive to school and a spark of fear kept her fur bristled all throughout first period. Winter and Gazelle tried to soothe her but to no avail, Sven was never late to school.

But by second period she opened her locker, trying to work past the panicky fuzz of her mind to figure out which books she needed-and a familiar voice called her name and she nearly sank to her knees in relief.

“Sven,” Charlie breathed happily as she closed her locker door and turned to face the reindeer that was charging toward her.

He threw his arms around her and picked her up, spinning her in a circle, the other students in the hallways giving the couple fondly exasperated looks.

 “See, Char,” Winter’s voice interrupted the twirling. The vixen and Gazelle walked over, Winter with a smirk and Gazelle with a soft smile. “He’s still a cartoon character we know and love, just tardy.”  
 “What has gotten into you?” Charlie laughed as Sven finally stopped, holding her flush against his waist.

Sven smiled dreamily down at her, “I just talked with your mother.”  
Charlie’s eyes widened and Winter and Gazelle shared a look. “That’s…that’s a good thing?” the vixen asked.

“She’s accepted me,” Sven told Charlie, his eyes glittering like freshly fallen snow. “She and your dad, they’re not against us being a couple anymore.”

 Charlie couldn’t believe her ears, “Are you serious?”

“Well she said they weren’t jumping on the walls to invite me to dinner but they’ll invite me to dinner,” the reindeer admitted. “And that’s enough for me!”

 The cheetah smiled at him, fondly shaking her head, “This is great don’t get me wrong but you know they’re approval didn’t matter.”

“Their approval is like a wonderful sign,” he insisted, picking her up again and staggering around the hallway with a bright smile on his face. “That we’re going to get out of her, get married, and grow old together!”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a peck on his lips, “I love you too, Sven.”

 He placed her on her feet but kept his arms around her, leaning down so their muzzles pressed together, their eyes gazing at each other, “I love you so much, Charlie. You know that, don’t you?”

 “Yes I do you loon,” she purred. “You may be a crazy reindeer, but you’re the crazy reindeer I love.”

            Winter and Gazelle smiled at their two friends, hearts full of both happiness and longing.

 


	75. Chapter 75

 

            “You want me to beat up Weaselton?” Honey asked not for the first time. “I’m big I can do that.”

“No, Honey,” Nick laid sprawled on the picnic table beside a gas station, aviators on as he looked up at the mockingly clear sky. “I want you guys to let me enjoy my sun bathing in peace.”

“We’re only bothering you cause we’re only forty percent sure you’re clinically alive, Nick,” Finnick growled. “You’ve been dragging your tail around for days, just go and accept her apology.”

“I don’t want to,” Nick replied stubbornly. “She doesn’t trust me.”

“Of course she doesn’t,” Finnick growled. “But that’s why you go and win her trust back.”

“I don’t know how!” Nick sat up, furiously throwing his glasses onto the table to glare at his friends, “I don’t have fifty other tragic back stories to share! If my dad, Sue, and Wilde Times wasn’t enough that I don’t know what is!”

 Finnick shared a look with Honey that made Nick snort before lying back down and placing his glasses back over his eyes, going back to feeling tattered and raw and angry.

Honey stood over him, “You’re just going to give up the best thing that ever happened to you?”  
 “I don’t need lip from someone who can’t see what’s right in her face,” Nick growled back, it made Honey blink in surprise.

            Out of the station came Rick, drinking from a freshly purchased water bottle.

“Can you say something to him?” Finnick asked the fellow senior.

Rick slid his eyes over to his brother, “I don’t have anything new to add. At the end of the day Nick will only listen to himself. And himself wants to mope.”

Nick muttered under his breath.

 Honey looked to Rick, “That reminds me how are you? I heard your lady love went back home.”  
 “I’m doing good,” Rick replied. “Because I’m mature and understand no one’s perfect and care enough about May to actually want to fight for her.”

“Oh my God,” Nick got off the bench and stomped away from the three. “I’m going to buy something, like the entire candy aisle.”

He walked into the station and immediately gotten to the aisle, examining the chocolate and gum and wondering what he needed to make this black hole in his stomach go away. After his break up with Judy all he had felt since then was anger and disgust and misery. Anger at himself for making that bet and Judy for not telling him she already knew and waiting so it could all blow up in their faces. Disgust at these needs for trust issues and second chances, misery because sweet cheese and crackers he missed Judy _so_ much.

But he was the one who broke up with her, he wasn’t going to come crawling back. And if she couldn’t trust him then it wouldn’t be fair to either of them to try and be in a relationship.

 Nick leaned his head against a shelf of chewy candies, letting out a frustrated and depressed sigh and trying to get some strength back in his limbs so he could go back out there and tell his friends and brother that he didn’t want to go back to her.

            Just then a vaguely familiar voice spoke up: “Ah! He’s here, told you I had the fox sense give me that five bucks!”

Nick’s head shot up and he looked to the left to see Fred, George, and Harley standing before the aisle, the twins smiling excitedly at him.

 “Uh…” was all Nick could say.

 “Uh to you too, ya tod,” George replied cheekily, hopping over and playfully punching the fox’s shoulder. “Feels like ages since we last has a good chat.”

“That’s because he never called after he left Bunnyburrow,” Harley pointed out as she slinked over, Fred following after.

“You can’t blame Blueberries for not wanting to get sexually harassed by you via phone,” Fred reminded, earning an elbow in the ribs.

            Nick looked at the three rabbits suspiciously, their expressions were open and friendly…he had no idea why’d they still like him after his and Judy’s bitter breakup. “What are you three doing in Zootopia?”

“It’s not just us, Amy and Gwen came with,” Harley informed. “They’re out looking for Judy.”

“Sis hasn’t called for days now and our parents are officially convinced she’s dead,” Fred added.

“Oh,” Nick realized, so they _didn’t_ know they had broken up. But why did Judy stop calling her family? She’d always been good at calling them regularly.

“Yeah so we split up to hunt her down after Aunt Weiss said she’d either be with you or her friends,” George finished.

 Why would her aunt say that? Did Judy not tell anyone they were broken up?

 Fred looked around, “And it would appear she’s not with you.”  
 “No, she uh…she’s hanging out with her friends,” Nick answered, tripping over his tongue and wondering why _he_ wasn’t telling them he was now single.

“I’ll call Amy and see if they had any luck,” Harley replied, pulling out her phone and speed-dialing her sister.

 But Fred and George kept their eyes on Nick, their brows knitted. “You okay, Blueberries?” the former asked. “You don’t look to be soaring.”  
 “And since you’re finally dating our sister we’d figure,” George added, “You know, you’d be one of those annoyingly happy guys.” 

 “Sorry,” Nick mumbled, “Judy and I-we had a fight, that’s all.”

Fred gave him a sympathetic look, “That’s a norm for couples, bud. You’ll make up.”

Those words made Nick’s throat tighten and it was hard for him to breathe. Lying about his and Judy’s relationship status made him feel so pathetic.

 

.

 

            Judy absent-mindedly looked at the dress sketches Fru Fru spread across the table of the booth, only half-listening as her friend explained what kind of fabric she’d use for each dress, what seasons she would sell them and so on.

Judy tried to give her attention to her friend like Ben did, the cheetah looking at the sketches with shiny eyes while sipping a milkshake. But Judy had only been half aware of the world since she and Nick broke up. She had been avoiding the fox since, knowing his classes and which hallways to avoid. It was petty, cowardly, she knew…but if she saw that bitter look on Nick’s face one more time she might just jump off the school’s roof.

            “What do you think, Gideon?” Fru Fru asked when the husky fox came over to see if their drinks needed refills because, of course, they were hanging out at his bakery after school.

He examined the sketches, “I’m not an expert on dresses but I think they look nice.”  
The shrew smiled gratefully before pulling out a pencil and making some notes at the bottom of a few of the pages.

 “So,” Gideon continued, wringing his paws together. “Not that I don’t like you guys coming in and spending money but you are here an _awful_ lot, aren’t ya?”

“We tried drowning our sorrows in store bought sweets,” Ben told him, “It just wasn’t the same.”  
 Gideon’s ears twitched and he looked at the three with newfound concern, “What sorrows are you trying to drown?”

 Judy let out a pathetic moan and buried her head in her arms, she felt Fru Fru give her a comforting pat on the arm but she didn’t move.

 “What did I say?” Gideon asked in a panic.

 “It’s not your fault Gid,” Fru Fru assured him. “Poor Judy’s been having some problems.”  
            “What kind of problems?”

Judy’s head shot up and she turned around to see Amy and Gwen walking into the bakery. “See, Gwen, Aunt Weiss’s guess was right on the dot.”  
 “AMY! GWEN!” Judy cried out ecstatically and hopped out of the seat and raced to the two bunnies.

“Come here, little sister,” Amy smiled, opening her arms out to receive Judy’s embrace. Judy hugged her sister tight before turning to Gwen to give her a welcoming hug as well.

“I’ve missed you,” Judy smiled at her sisters. This was exactly what she needed.

 “We’ve missed you too,” Gwen replied warmly.

“So much so we drove all the way out here to see if you were alive,” Amy piped up, crossing her arms in disapproval, “Since you haven’t made a call to home in weeks.”

Judy’s ears fell down sadly, “Sorry, life’s just been kinda hectic lately.”  
 “I’m sure,” Amy replied, by her expression she didn’t buy Judy’s excuse.

            “This is a cute little store,” Gwen said, walking around the room with a soft smile.

“Thanks,” Gideon spoke up, he and Judy’s friends having turned quiet when her sisters arrived.

Gwen jumped and whirled around to see him, he smiled apologetically. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to spook ya.”  
 “That’s-that’s fine,” she mumbled before hurrying over to offer him her paw, “I’m Gwen Hopps pleased to meet you.”

Gideon blinked, mildly surprised that a random bunny would so willing shake a fox’s paw. He quickly reached out and took it, offering a hefty but short shake before quickly pulling away, looking flustered. Fru Fru and Clawhauser then stepped forward to introduce themselves to the sweet gray bunny.

 Judy moved to join them but Amy grabbed her arm, keeping her in place. “What’s wrong?” her older sister asked.

“I’m fine,” Judy lied.

“You’re not fine your ears are droopy,” Amy pointed out. Her eyes then narrowed suspiciously, “Did something happen with the fox?”  
 “Nick,” Judy corrected.

“Did something happen with Nick?”

Before Judy could decide to tell the truth or try another lie Amy’s phone rang. She pulled it out and checked the screen, “Its Harley.” She put the phone on speaker.

“I found Nick,” Harley’s bored voice filled the room, “But no Judy.”

“We found her,” Amy replied, she glanced at Judy who was staring at the phone in horror. “And she looks like she’s seen a ghost.”  
 “You’re not-note actually near Nick are you?” Judy asked with fright. Her head was full of winter break, of Harley flirting shamelessly with the fox and Nick joking that he wouldn’t mind being kissed by her, and now that he and Judy weren’t together…

Harley caught on to her train of thought, “Oh yes, actually, he’s right next to me. And he looks _so_ handsome today with his scruffy fur and leather jacket. I might have to try and take a bite.”  
 “ _Don’t you dare_!” Judy snapped fiercely, startling Amy and the other animals in the bakery.

 There was a pause on the other line before Harley burst into laughter, and then Fred’s voice could be heard: “Watch yourself Blueberries. Judy’s the jealous type!”

Mortification had Judy’s jaw hanging as Nick made an almost indecipherable “uh-huh” that sounded incredibly awkward. Harley was on speaker… Nick had _heard_ her!

            Her ears flushed red and she was sure she looked close to tears, Gwen and the others turned back to their original conversation but Amy kept her eyes on her sister. Meanwhile Fred and George kept ribbing Nick.

“So Judy is still breathing?” Harley asked, “No bruises or broken bones? Or something else that would keep her from calling Mom and Dad?”

 “Life just got away from her,” Amy replied, eyes still on Judy. “We’re about to head back to Aunt Weiss’, see you there.”  
 “Okay,” Harley hung up.

            Amy placed her phone back in her pocket. “You two broke up.” It wasn’t a question.

Judy swallowed painfully, “Please don’t tell the others.”

“Why not?” Amy’s eyebrows rose.

“Because there’s no reason for them to stop liking Nick,” Judy admitted.

“Because you still love him,” Amy finished. Her little sister glanced away. “Even though he broke up with you? I’m assuming that’s what happened.”

 “It’s complicated,” Judy replied softly.

 “Isn’t it always,” Amy sighed. “Come on; let’s get to Aunt Weiss’. We’re staying for a while and we need to find a place to sleep.”

 Judy nodded and waved goodbye to Fru Fru and Clawhauser who waked back with loving smiles. Amy called for Gwen but she was smiling up at Gideon who was talking about the first day the bakery opened, all the while wearing a silly grin on her face.

 “Oh for crying out loud,” Amy rolled her eyes before stomping over and grabbing Gwen’s arm. She quickly dragged both her sisters out of the Grey Bakery.

 

.

 

            Nick made it home after the Hopps siblings left him, walking back with Rick who stayed silent.

When they arrived the older fox went straight to the kitchen. Nick went straight for his room. As soon as he closed and locked the door behind him he slammed his back against the wood and slid down to the floor.

He bit his tongue to keep from making noise and kept his eyes shut tight. Judy’s voice still floated through his head, she had been jealous of Harley flirting with him-what once made him laugh caused a deep hurt in his chest.

He should’ve told them he and Judy were through, but he couldn’t bear the thought of losing their smiles, it was as if by letting them think he was still dating their sister then he was still a part of the Hopps family. He still wanted to be part of the Hopps family. And he had to lock his door to be sure he didn’t go out and make a fool of himself, to drop to his paws and knees and beg Judy to give him her trust because by God…

…he was never going to get over that terrible, beautiful bunny.   



	76. Chapter 76

It was a week after Dawn witnessed the kiss between Leodore and Mika, a week after she kept avoiding him because she realized she had feelings for the lion and that terrified her.

            But Lucy, Percy, and by extension Otto, had other plans. On Friday of that week Dawn was heading out, ready to go home and have some much needed relaxation. But just as she walked out the door Lucy was there, waiting for her.

Dawn blinked up at her, “Hello?”

“Hi,” Lucy replied with a wryly apologetic expression.

“Did you need something?”  
 “Yeeeah… I’m gonna need you to turn around and walk back into that school.”  
 “What?”  
 “Just do it before I pick you up and carry you back in there.”  
Dawn blinked again, but then turned and walked back inside. She walked side by side with Lucy down the hallway, knowing by now that there was no point in asking what was going on.

            They arrived in the library of all places and Dawn felt her blood drain as she saw, across the room in an armchair, was Leodore, talking with Percy and Otto.

Dawn whirled around to run off but Lucy blocked her path. “Ah, ah, ah, you’re going ot sit and talk with my brother.”

The sheep looked back to the lion who had noticed her, staring at her with wide eyes while Otto and Percy pulled him to his feet and led him toward her.

“What are you doing here?” Leodore growled at his sister.

Lucy smiled innocently, “I’m just helping out as the rabbit requested.”

Leodore and Dawn both glared at Percy who surprisingly didn’t shrink under their looks, instead he stood up taller. He never would have done that at the beginning of the year.

“You two have been best friends since you were kids and you only have a few more months to spend time together and you’re _ignoring_ each other! I love you two and I want you guys to fix whatever problem you’ve had since winter formal.” He pointed over his shoulder, “And you’re going to make up in that private corner over there while Lucy guards the exit.” He looked at Leodore, “I’ve been told she can beat you up.”

“I can,” the lioness replied, playfully baring her fangs.

Leodore rolled his eyes before glancing down at Dawn, his expression becoming uncertain. Gut twisting Dawn shrugged and followed him to the secluded corner out of sight from the three.

Little did they know the three were watching.

            “Should I even be here?” Otto whispered uncertainly as they hid behind a tall book shelf. “I mean Leo and Dawn are nice and all but I barely know them.” 

“If I’m here you get to be here,” Percy smiled at him.

“Shush,” Lucy ordered, “I’m trying to listen.”  
            Meanwhile Leodore and Dawn were standing by a small round table, surrounded by books and too flustered to even glance at each other.

“So…” Leodore began.

“So…” Dawn echoed.

“Do you-do you want me to put you up on the table?” he offered, “At eye level and all that?”

“I can do that on my own,” Dawn said, climbing up onto a chair and onto the table.

Leodore watched her with a  warm gaze, “Yes, you can.”  
 When she had straightened out her skirt and made herself meet his eyes he continued, “Have you thought about what I said?”

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it,” she said begrudgingly, her tone made the hopeful lion cringe.

“And?” he coaxed.

“I…” she licked her lips, “I…saw Mika kiss you.” Dawn slammed her jaw shut as her ears turned beet red and she was sure she’d expire from embarrassment.

 Leo’s eyebrows lifted up, “Did you?”

“Uh…”

“But you saw I pushed her away.”

“Yes…”

“So why are you bringing this up?”

 “Because she shouldn’t be kissing you! Did you even tell her you like me? Probably not you forget everything so of course you wouldn’t tell anyone and not even care about my feelings-” she stopped abruptly when she finally realized she was rambling, and Leodore was looking at her with tender amusement.

She wrapped her arms around herself and swallowed, “Probably.”

“You were jealous,” he grinned happily at her.

Dawn swallowed again.

 “Which means you _do_ like me,” he leaned forward and placed his elbows at the table.

Dawn glanced at him then away and finally let out a sigh and let her arms drop to her side. “Liking you was never the problem, Leo.”

“Really?”

 “Of course not, you’ve been my best friend since I was eight of course I like you.”  
Leodore purred loudly at that but then her earlier words clicked, he furrowed his brow, “What _is_ the problem?”

 “Look at us, Leodore,” Dawn indicated to the both of them. “Look how many problems we have, we’re so different, and you’re about to be leaving for college, and I may have charmed your family but they’ll never approve of this.” _Except for Lucy_.

“I stopped worrying about my family’s approval when I almost lost you,” Leodore said. “And yes, we’re different, yes we’ll be apart for a year while you finish school but we could make it work.”

“How are you so sure?” she softly demanded.

 “Because we’re worth it.”

            Those words had Dawn’s eyes widening, Leodore smiled at her miffed expression. “I love you, Lamb.”

Her chest twisted but it wasn’t as painful as it should have been, she released a shuddering breath, “I know.”

He leaned closer, “You’re coming to the same college. We would just have to wait one year, I know you don’t believe me but I _can_ wait that long, I will.”

“For me…” it didn’t come out as a question but it was.

He smiled softly at her, “You’re worth it.”

 She glanced down at herself as if she didn’t believe that. “I’m a sheep…”

“And?”

 Dawn let out a soft sigh, the beginnings of a smile tilting the corners of her lips. Dawn turned to look up at him with that small smile, shaking her head softlyig eyes shining with exasperation and affection. “And of course that doesn’t matter at all, does it?”

 She reached her hooves out, grabbing the golden locks of his mane and pulling him closer. Their lips met.

 Leodore sunk into the kiss, relief never sending him to the floor but he wouldn’t dare break the kiss. It was up to Dawn to do that, pulling away with the smile still in place to whisper “I love you.”  
            And then Percy let out a very loud whoop, startling the two who whirled around to see the rabbit had moved out from behind the bookshelf and smiled ecstatically at his two friends. Otto shrugged apologetically. And Lucy wore the smuggest of smiles known to mammal-kind.

 

 


	77. Chapter 77

For the first time since his trust had been broken Wade was _happy_. He had done it. He had collected enough money to get far away from here, to start over, to become a part of a world that didn’t have his parents, or the scared looks, or Gazelle. He would be reborn into a new life, a new life where he could be happy.

            That was the thoughts that skipped through his head as he headed to his parents’ house with a smile on his face, his last paycheck warm in his pocket, waiting to join the rest of the paychecks and dollars overflowing his Escape Jar. As soon as he got there he would pack up and leave and never have to come back.

For once in his life he was happy when he could make out the terribly-kept house and filthy lawn. Unable to erase his smile he opened the door, ready to pack his things and _go_.

But he never would.

            Wade stared in horror at the coffee table in the middle of the living room, his mother, as usual sprawled on the couch, smoking an expensive looking cigar while five bottles of full fancy wine sat on the floor next to her.

“Ah, you’re home,” she puffed then grinned, flashing her yellow teeth at him. “I gotta say, Wade. You keep surprising me and your father, first you’re sleeping with a celebrity and then you’re well…” she turned her yellow smile to the empty jar on the table. “You’re saving up quite the fortune. Or rather, _was_.”

Wade couldn’t breathe; nothing felt like it was functioning correctly. His turned his green eyes to her, “You were in my room.”

 “I was bored so I thought I’d see if you had anything useful, maybe your girlfriend left some expensive jewelry. Then I found that under your bed.”  
 He turned back to the empty jar, “You…you spent it all.”  
 “Both your father and I,” she replied, tagging a large puff of her cigar. “He had some debts to pay and I always wanted to try the expensive stuff.”

 He wasn’t fathoming what was happening right then, it refused to wrap around his mind. He numbly walked over and picked up the jar that just yesterday was heavy with the promise of a better future. Now it was light and empty just like him.

            “Ah, so the greedy whelp is finally home,” his father’s growl filled the room as he stepped in from the kitchen. Wade looked up at his father and saw the older wolf’s expression was furious.

That made Wade snap.

He threw the jar down, it shattered into a million pieces on the table, “YOU STOLE IT!” He bared his fangs at his father, the wolf being slightly surprised as Wade had never done this before. “YOU STOLE ALL MY MONEY!”  
 “I didn’t _steal_ anything!” his father snarled. “You live under _my_ roof, you’re _my_ underage son and that money was _mine_.”

“No, it wasn’t! Because not once, in all my life, were you two _ever_ my parents! You were just some horny drug-addicts who forgot to use protection and the only reason I’m not as messed up as both of you is because Aunt Kate gave up her old life to come down here and help raise me, just like she’s raising the girls!”  
Mr. Jones narrowed his nasty yellow eyes, “Don’t raise your voice at me, boy.”

“I’ll do whatever I want, _boy_ ,” Wade snarled back. “And right now I’m very tempted to call the cops and let them have a drug bust cause I’m sure they’ll find something because I _know_ you didn’t use _my_ money to pay any debts! You used it to for selfish reasons because you’re a pathetic, drug addicted, abusive, _useless_ , son of a –”

 The fist contacted to his eye, the blow so hard it threw him to the ground.

The fire doused.

 His father kicked at his ribs, Wade let out a pained yelp but his father didn’t relent. He slammed his foot down on his ribs, spine, arms, head, over and over and Wade lost the will to get back up. The money he had saved for years was gone, he was stuck here, he was through, he _was_ a whelp getting kicked over and over by his father, his mother not even glancing in their direction. This was all Wade would ever be.

 “What were you going to do, Wade?” his father asked sarcastically. “Run away and start over? Did you really think you could do that? Do your really think any part of this world would welcome such a pathetic, _useless_ , flea with open arms?” He laughed harshly as he put extra force on his kick to Wade’s spine, grinding his heel against the bruise. “Please, even that little celebrity _bitch_ wants nothing to do with you.”

The fire raged.

            Wade’s eyes snapped open, his ears burning at those words and he pushed the foot off him, rising to his feet despite the aching of his bones. His green eyes burned at his father, “Don’t say that,” he growled lowly.

“Say what?” the older wolf sneered. “You _are_ a useless flea.”  
 “Do _not_ ,” Wade’s teeth was gritted, “Call Gazelle that.”

His father’s eyes widened for a second before he let out another callous laugh, “Seriously? You are the most pitiful piece of trash I’ve ever seen.”

Wade didn’t back down, “Don’t call her that…”  
 “What, do you think that you got some attention from her you’re better than other animals? You think that little bitch-”

 Wade’s paw flew out before he even realized it and collided with his father’s jaw, snapping the wolf’s head to the side. There was a moment of charged silence; even his mother had turned her eyes to them.

 And then his father lunged at him and the two wolves ended up on the floor. But this time Wade didn’t take it, it was one thing to insult him he was used to that, he _was_ what his father claimed. But Gazelle was better than any of them and no one would insult her in front of him.

So he fought back, he threw punches at the older wolf’s jaw and eyes and chest, they both clawed at each other’s flesh, at one point Wade was even bit. But he had an advantage to his father besides his larger size. He was furious and righteously so, he had years of neglect and abuse fueling his paws and he used it to kick his father off him and hit him until his knuckles bled, until his father’s consciousness slipped, until his mother cried out for him to stop.

 Wade jumped up and away from his bruised, bleeding father. Pain lacerated through his body, his entire body throbbed with bruises, blood dripped from his arms, face, lip, neck, his knuckles. He stared down at the wolf he had managed to subdue for just a second before whirling around, walking fragments of shattered glass and out the door.

            He had not gotten far when it started to rain, plastering his red and black fur against his bruises skin, dampening his mood as well as the ground under him. He had made it to the main part of Savannah Central when he realized he had no idea where he was going. He was truly wondering aimlessly, but he kept focusing on putting one foot in front of the other, if he focused on that he didn’t have to focus how his life was basically over.

 But eventually his sore legs forced him to a bus stop bench, said bench in a transparent shelter. He laid his back down on the cold steel of bench, trying to at least be glad he was out of the rain. But without the walking he was forced to face the facts.

All his money was gone.

There was no way he could go back home after attacking his father like that.

He couldn’t go to his aunt and sisters; he couldn’t let them see him like this.

He couldn’t let _Gazelle_ see him like this.

Wade had nothing, he had nowhere, he may as well not exist at all.

            “Wade?” a voice spoke up and then Raja was looking down at him, his expression concerned as he closed his umbrella. “It _is_ you.”

“Hey Raja,” he pulled his lips back in a false smile. “Know if there are any bridges nearby?”

The tiger gave him a weird look, “Why do you need a bridge?”

“I need something to jump off of,” Wade covered his eyes with his paws, trying to keep the tears from slipping out, he tried to laugh but it came out so broken. “Because I don’t think I can do this anymore.”

“…Wade, get up,” Raja grabbed the wolf’s arm and forced him onto his feet as a bus appeared through the onslaught of rain. “You’re coming with me.”

“To a bridge?” he asked hoarsely, letting the tiger take his weight. Raja didn’t answer, only pulling Wade into the bus and paying for both their passage.

They sat down on a seat and said nothing through the drive; Wade just tried to keep himself from falling over. Everything hurt.

When the bus did stop he was once again dragged out with Raja, the tiger putting them both under the umbrella. Wade kept his eyes on his feet as they walked, not looking up to see them walking into a gated community, past large, very nice houses, he didn’t even look up when they entered one of these large houses, the rain water in his fur making a puddle on the clean tile floor.

 Then he heard a gasp and his head shot up. _No, no, no_.   
 Gazelle and her mother stood in the hallway of their house, staring at the torn and battered wolf with wide-eyed horror.

 _No, no, no_ , Wade covered his face with his paws; he didn’t want her to see him like this.

“What happened?” Gazelle asked her voice frail with terror as she walked over, arms outstretched but not touching the wolf.

 “I found him at the bust stop,” Raja informed.

“In this weather?” Gazelle’s mother queried, “Never mind, not important, get him into the kitchen I’ll get the first aid kit.”

 Wade didn’t meet Gazelle’s eyes as she and Raja took him into the kitchen and placed him in the chair. The prey knelt down before him however and made him look at her, her eyes full of worry. “What happened?”

 “I lost the money,” the words spilled out of his busted lip before he could stop them. And he kept going, “I lost it all, they took it.” Raja grabbed his shoulder before the wolf fell over. “I’m going to be stuck here for the rest of my life.”

            Gazelle didn’t say anything, her mother arriving with the first aid kit and helping clean out his cuts and bandage him. He closed his eyes as they slipped off his soaking shirt, Raja drying him off with a towel. While the tiger did that Gazelle’s mother dragged her into the hallway.

 “What happened to him?” her mother demanded in a fierce whisper.

“It had to be his parents,” Gazelle said. She had already broken her promise once and seeing Wade torn up like that, to hell with this secret. “They’re _insane_ , Mom.”  
Her mother’s eyes widened, “Why didn’t he go to the police? Why didn’t _you_ go to the police?”

“He-he wanted me to keep it a secret,” Gazelle dug her fingers into her ears, “I shouldn’t have made the promise because I ended up telling Sven and the others and he hates me now. But we still should’ve reported it.” She looked heartbrokenly toward the kitchen, tears rising to her eyes, “Mom this is all my fault.”  
 “Calm down, sweetie,” her mother pulled her into a quick hug before urging her back toward the kitchen. “Go take care of him; I have some phone calls to make.” Her voice turned hard, “That wolf is one of the sweetest boys I know and _no one_ is going to hurt him like that on my watch.”

            Gazelle watched her mother walk off before collecting herself before walking back into the kitchen; Raja had finished drying Wade who was still hunched over in his chair, staring at the floor with blank eyes.

“Can you go get a blanket for him, Raja?” Gazelle asked her friend.

“No problem,” the tiger replied before walking out, leaving her alone with the wolf.

Gazelle knelt down beside him and Wade glanced at her before flinching and looking away, “Please don’t look at me.”  
His words made her heart hurt. “Why?”

“I’m a mess.” He buried his head in his paws, “A tattered mess who’s going to be stuck here for the rest of his life.”  
 “What happened?” she dared to ask.

Wade stayed silent for several minutes and just when Gazelle decided he wasn’t going to answer he spoke: “My mom found the money I was hiding…they took it all…my father, he did this to me.” He indicated to his bruised body.

The wolf noticed her melancholy expression, “I hit him back.” He said it as if to reassure her.

Her brow furrowed, “But you said you’ve never hit anyone.”

 “I did now,” Wade murmured, examining his bandaged knuckles.

“Why? I mean, not that you shouldn’t have hit him but…” she trailed off.

Wade looked at her then shook his head, “Don’t worry about it. It’s over now, I’m never going back.”

“Where will you go?”

He sighed and his body seemed to sink into himself, “I have no idea.”

“What about your aunt?”

He swallowed, “She has already had to give up so much for us. I can’t stand to ask for more.”

“Wade…” Gazelle’s voice was soft. “Raja said you wanted to jump off a bridge…”  
He turned his green eyes to her, “Would that be so bad?”

“ _Yes_!” she yelled so fiercely the wolf jumped. Gazelle stood to her feet, fists clenched at her sides. “Don’t _ever_ say something like that again!”

He stared up at her, dumbfounded, and she couldn’t hold onto her anger when he looked so ruined. Her expression shifted into one of heart break, “I don’t want to live in a world without you Wade.”

His eyebrows furrowed and he opened his mouth but before a word could be uttered Raja came back in with a thick blanket. “Let’s move him to the living room,” he said.

            Even though Wade didn’t look pleased he didn’t resist as they both grabbed one of his arms and helped him to the living room where a heater had made the room toasty. Wade sat on the plush couch and Gazelle wrapped the blanket around him just as her mother came in.

“The police are on their way,” she told the three teens. Wade’s eyes widened with horror.

“They’re going to get your parents,” the older gazelle told him.

“I hit my dad,” he told her with tight-voiced terror. “I hit him so many times he blacked out.”  
 “If they get a look at you they’ll know it was in defense,” she replied easily. “Now my daughter said you have an aunt. What’s her number?”

Wade recited it to her then blinked as if it had come out of his mouth without his permission. Gazelle’s mother did have that effect.

“I’ll call her. Raja you need to go home your father is probably worried sick. Gazelle, darling, keep Wade company until his aunt arrive.”

Then the two were left alone.

            Gazelle set awkwardly next to him, sneaking glances at the wolf who kept his far away eyes on the wall.

She took in a deep breath, “Wade?”

He moved his striking green eyes to her, “Hm?”  
 “I’m sorry.”  
 “You said that before-”

“No, I’m not sorry that I broke your promise, not anymore. I’m sorry I didn’t do something the moment you told me you were treated this way.” She tried to give him a strict glare but knew her eyes were glassy with emotion, “You should have lived with your aunt, no matter the problems. You should have reported your parents. _You should have come with me that day I asked you_!” She leaned forward, nearly nose to nose with a wide-eyed Wade. “You should know I didn’t do what I did to hurt you!”

He didn’t say anything in turn, just stared at her as Gazelle calmed herself down and pulled away.

“Gazelle,” he finally spoke, “If I accidentally did something-say, push you to the ground. Would that hurt?”

Her brow knit, “I guess.”   
 “But it was an accident.”

“What’s your point, Wade?”

“My point is that just because you didn’t mean to doesn’t mean you didn’t hurt me. Don’t act like it didn’t sting just because it was unintentional.”

His words made her nod, “That’s true. But I don’t take back the other things I said.”

“I know,” Wade looked at her with a thoughtful expression, her anger so quickly fading, her eyes on her lap.

Wade exhaled softly.

   “What are you doing?” she gasped when Wade laid his head in her lap.

“I’m tired,” he breathed, his eyes closed. “I don’t want to argue about how I’m a messed up idiot who takes hits, or about broken promises, or anything like that. I just want to have this.”

“Have this?” she echoed breathlessly, her skin flushed from the contact.

“Before tomorrow,” he breathed. “Before it all goes away.”

            “Wade?”

Gazelle looked up as the wolf’s eyes opened, his aunt hesitantly walking into the room. She took in his wounds with tears in her eyes, “Oh, Wade, precious.”

“I’ll be okay,” he assured her, not moving his head from Gazelle’s lap.

Kate knelt before them, “No, you aren’t. This is too much; you need to come home with me.”

“Jenna and Lily aren’t here are they?” he asked, “I don’t want them to see me like this. I don’t want _you_ to see me like this.”  
His aunt smiled sadly, “Baby, I’m tougher than you think I am.”  
 “I don’t want to be a burden.”

“Stop that,” Gazelle ordered.

“You were never a burden, Wade Jones,” Kate told him. “I want you to stay with me and your sisters because we love you and you deserve better.”

He looked away uncomfortably. Gazelle had an idea, “Just get a job and help your aunt pay the rent.”

The two wolves looked at her.

“I can find you a job,” she reassured, “And then you would be the complete opposite of a burden.”  
Kate shot a grateful look to the prey before turning back to her nephew, “Would that make you come with me?”  
He still resisted, “I don’t want them to come after me.”

 Kate narrowed her eyes, knowing exactly who ‘them’ were. “I will deal with my sister and her ‘mate’. I’m going to let the police know exactly what they did to you. They aren’t your problem anymore, Wade. They can’t hurt you anymore.”

There was a long moment of silence before Wade finally replied, his voice soft and hesitant, “Okay, I-I can help you with the rent…pay for things…help with the girls…I can do that.”  
Kate smiled with relief, “Come on then, let’s go.”

“Wait,” he didn’t move. “I want to stay here…just for the night.”

 Kate blinked the glanced at Gazelle who was just as surprised but nodded. “Okay, Wade. I’ll back first thing in the morning to get you.” She reached down and kissed him on the temple before waving goodbye to Gazelle and leaving the room.

            “She’s the reason you turned out so sweet, isn’t she?” Gazelle asked him.

“She gave up a high-paying career and a good boyfriend to move here and make sure I was taken care of. Back when I was a pup it wasn’t as bad as it is now, but she was always there to pick me up from school, buy me clothes or toys. I love her.”

Gazelle’s lips parted before she closed them, having a strong urge to stroke his head but resisted it.

She cleared her throat, “If you’re staying the night wouldn’t you rather sleep in a bed?”  
His fur bristled and he sat up suddenly as if she had screamed at him to get away from her. “R-right. Right.”  
            With the blanket wrapped around his shirtless torso he mutely followed her up a flight of stairs and into a guest room where he immediately flopped onto the bed, sprawling across it.

Gazelle took a moment to consider if she should leave or not then decided that she had stayed away from Wade for too long…and look what had happened.

 She crawled onto the bed and sat down, looking at the wolf who had his eyes closed, paws resting under his chin.

“What happens tomorrow?” she asked him.

“What do you mean?” he asked, slipping his eyes open to look up at her.

“Are we-are we okay?” she asked her voice cracking. “Can we…can we at least be friends? Or tomorrow will you leave and go back to hating me?”

Wade took note of the tears glistening in her eyes, Gazelle couldn’t help it. She didn’t want him to leave her again…

 Finally he closed his eyes, “I could never hate you.”

She couldn’t help a bitter laugh, “Why’s that? Because I’m sitting here crying? Is it pity?”  
            “It’s because I love you.”

The words were said so casually, he didn’t even open his eyes, that it took a second to click. And when it did she stared down at him in awe, unable to comprehend, “You…you love me?”

“I do. Ever since Halloween.”

 “Wade, I…” the tears came flooding, a smile splitting across her lips as she buried her face in her hooves. “I-I love you too! I just-we-I don’t-we should-” she let out a frustrated laugh. She had so much to say, to address, but she couldn’t form the words. And just because he said he loved her didn’t automatically mean he agreed to _be_ with her.

            Wade had opened his eyes when she started to cry, watched as she blubbered and tried to form a coherent thought. He inhaled and sat up, his movements stiff.

Gazelle met his gaze and her heart fluttered-the smallest of smiles, but a smile nonetheless, played across his lips.

He leaned forward, their noses almost touching, his eyes no longer blank and faraway, but affectionate and _here_. He opened his mouth:

 “ _I’m older but you’re wiser than anyone can see_. _Your patient like no other has ever been with me_.”

Gazelle’s eyes widened, he was singing one of _her_ songs. An old one called _Broken_ _Record_ that she had never even realized had fit them so bizarrely.

“ _Your eyes take me to places_ ,” he continued to sing softly. “ _I’d never dreamt about. Your voice is the only music I can’t do without_.”

 He moved closer, Gazelle’s nerve endings crackling as his muzzle just barely traced her throat, “ _There can’t be any doubts now_ …”

 She sucked in a breath, “ _We’re just too far ahead to look behind. And above the good and the bad…_ ”

 He pulled away to meet her gaze and she hesitantly reached out, cupping his jaw as he voice got stronger, “ _I need you to believe in my word, I feel like a broken record_. _And I’ve told you 700 times I don’t need to keep looking. My search is done._ ”

 Their muzzles brushed, breath making their fur shift, and she kept singing: “ _Can you put your trust in my word? I sound like a broken record. And I’ve said it 700 times. I don’t need to keep looking…my search is done_ -”

 She was silenced by Wade’s lips against her own.

Gazelle’s eyelids fluttered as he deepened the kiss, she laced her fingers through the fur of his neck and he rested his paws on her hips. Utter bliss pooled in her chest, threatening to overflow as her remaining tears slid past her sealed eyelids.

            When they broke apart he pressed soft, swift kisses against her face and neck and nuzzling into her. “I’m sorry,” he breathed against her flesh, “I’m sorry.”  
 “Don’t be,” she assured softly, returning the kisses and nuzzles. “Just don’t go. Let’s have this, let’s always have this.”

He nodded, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer, burying his face in her neck. “You terrify me,” he whispered to her. “But…it scared me more to be without you than with.”

She smiled against his beautiful black fur, “That’s because you love me.”  
 He moved to cup her face between his large paws, gazing down at her with those wonderful, dazzling, teary, striking green eyes that practically glowed. “I do,” he breathed, his voice hoarse with honesty, “I really do, Pop Star.”

She pressed her cheek against his palm, “I love you too-always.” They continued to nuzzle against each other, kissed, hugged.

Every awful thing that had happened to them and between them, it faded like a terrible nightmare. And in its place were two mammals from completely different worlds-madly and irreversibly in love.

 

 

 

 


	78. Chapter 78

Nick was an emotional masochist.

Why else would he be walking down the street where the Grey Bakery could be found? With the specific purpose of glancing in to see if Judy was there.

Reaching the cheerfully colored shop Nick slowed down as he passed the window, then ended up stopping all together.

            He saw Gideon happily chatting up a gray bunny at the counter, at first-for a terrifying moment-he thought it was Judy but then recognized Gwen. She was smiling with glittery eyes at the husky fox.

Nick’s eyes trailed over to Judy’s booth and there she was, sitting with the rest of her siblings, laughing at something Fred was saying.

Seeing her smile made Nick’s heart twist painfully, he tried to swallow. She looked so happy…was she? Nick hadn’t cracked a smile since their break up but she didn’t look bothered in the least. Maybe she had gotten over him, glad to be rid of the ‘shifty’ fox. The pain in his chest escalated and he was mad at himself because he apparently wanted to be hurt, it was better than being numb…

            Just then Judy’s violet eyes spotted him and the mirth died from her face. Nick realized he had pressed his face and paws against the glass; he quickly pulled back, feeling creepy and pathetic. When he saw Judy stand up from the booth he quickly turned and hurried on, his fur bristling with panic.

“Nick, wait!”

And like an idiot he obeyed the bunny’s call. He glanced over his shoulder to see her standing on the sidewalk, looking on edge and awkward.   
She licked her hips, “Hi.”  
He only raised his eyebrows in response.

“How are you?” she asked, taking a hesitant step forward.

“Not as good as you it would appear,” he replied bitterly.

 Judy flinched at his words, “So you…uh, I couldn’t help but notice you didn’t tell Fred, George, and Harley we broke up.”

“Neither did you,” he pointed out. “And they’re _your_ siblings.”  
 “Yeah, they are. But I know if I told them they’d dislike you, I didn’t want that to happen.”

“No need to do me any favors,” Nick turned and continued down the street.

“You can’t even talk to me anymore?” Judy asked softly, frustratingly.

Nick stopped again, but kept his back to her. “Better to be safe; don’t want you to think I’m lying through my teeth.”

 Judy didn’t say anything which caught Nick’s morbid curiosity and he turned to look at her, he was surprised to see a look of anger on her face.

“You act like this hasn’t hurt me,” she breathed angrily. “I apologized, I wanted to try and fix this but you’re acting like I could care less.” She shrugged angrily, holding her paws out, “I don’t know what you want me to do.”

 Nick took a step forward, and considered her words. And he knew he wanted to run to her, to hold her, to let this all go. But the bitter, cynical side of himself that told him his father didn’t really want him back, that it was his fault Sue had strayed, it told him that taking another step would lead to a life of discontent and distrust. He swallowed painfully and stepped back, “I don’t want you to do anything.”

 Judy looked at him like she didn’t believe those words for a second, but she only shook her head and turned around, back to the bakery, away from him.

 

.

 

            The next day Nick walked into the front lawn of St. Zoo with that conversation still rolling through his head, his gut still twisted.

He looked around the courtyard, trying to spot Honey or Finnick or his brother who always left an hour earlier than Nick.

Suddenly he crashed into a giant ball of fur. “Sorry,” both he and the fur apologized as Nick took a few steps back. It was Clawhauser.

“Nick,” the cheetah smiled awkwardly at the fox, “Ah-uh-long time no see?”

Nick took pity on the freshman, “Hey, Ben.” He glanced around the feline.

“She’s not here,” Fru Fru’s voice spoke up, right next to Nick’s feet who couldn’t help but start a little.

“Who’s not here?” he asked.

The shrew gave him a sarcastic look before turning back to her minuscule phone. “Judy. We’ve been texting her but she hasn’t responded, which is weird of her.”  
Nick’s brow furrowed and he looked around the courtyard, “She’s always so early-”

“What’s wrong, Nick?” Clawhauser asked before following the fox’s gaze to the entrance of the school gates.

There stood Sue.

            She was talking to some random porcupine Nick never cared to know. Looking like she did now, with a friendly smile and warm brown eyes Nick suppose he couldn’t completely blame himself for falling for her. But he had gotten too entangled in her web to see her venom before it was too late.

Sensing the three pairs of eyes on her Sue looked up to see Nick, and that same awful smile she wore at the winter formal pulled up her lips. Nick scowled as the vixen excused herself from the porcupine and sauntered over.

“Hello, Nick,” she greeted in a sickly sweet voice. “How nice to see you and your…” She sent a disdainful look toward Clawhauser and Fru Fru, “ _Friends_.”

Nick stepped protectively in front of the cheetah and shrew, meeting Sue’s eyes with a glare, “Don’t you have your STD-riddled school to get back to?”

 She smirked at him, “Cute, Nick. My classes don’t start until later so I decided to come chat with a friend. But lucky me I get to see you.” She looked around the courtyard, “But not your little _bunny_.”

The way she said it was like Judy was something trashy and loose, it made Nick bare his fangs but he didn’t say anything.

Sue’s nasty eyes turned back to him, “I couldn’t help feeling a little surprised when I saw you dancing with her at the formal. But then I realized how clever you are for getting her to like you,” she grinned in amusement. “Dating a rabbit, not only would she be willing to sleep with you, or with _any_ one for that matter, but since your different species you don’t have to worry about settling down with her and starting a family.”

He could feel Clawhauser and Fru Fru’s silent anger behind him but still Nick said nothing.

 “I’m surprised to even see a bunny like her out here,” Sue continued, “I mean you hardly need to go to a school like this to learn to be a carrot farmer and/or a house wife. But I guess let her have her fun and think she’ll ever be more than that, you know?”

            Sue crossed her arms, still wearing that awful, venomous smirk on her muzzle. Finally, Nick spoke: “Are you done?”

Those words made Sue blink, her smirk disappearing, “Excuse me?”

“I said are you done?”

When she twisted her snout into disdain he continued, “Okay, _first off_ having dated Judith Laverne Hopps, and all that entails, makes me one of the luckiest mammals on earth. _Second_ , you have no right in talking about anyone’s sexual history as _you’ve_ slept with more than half of your school by now I’m sure. _Third_ ,” he leaned forward, nearly nose to nose with her and Sue actually shrunk into herself, Nick was more intimidating than he realized: “Judith Laverne Hopps is the smartest animal I know, she’ll do more with her live than I ever will, and more than you will even _dream_ of. Talk bad about her all you want, Sue, she’ll get back by being the first rabbit officer of the ZPD while you’re raising a litter of illegitimate kits while either working the cash register or the pole to pay your bills.”

 Nick leaned back on the heels of his feet while Sue spluttered incoherently. She scowled at him, for once looking as ugly on the outside as she was in the inside. “So what?” she growled, trying to recover from being put in your place, “You’re a fluff-chaser who loves a bunny now?”  
 “I’ve recently figured out that I was never in love with you,” Nick told her calmly. “But what I feel for that bunny? I’m _absolutely_ head over heels for her.”

 Sue rolled her eyes with a disgusted snort before turning tail and stomping out of the courtyard and off St. Zoo property, Nick grinning smugly as he watched her go.

            When she was out of sight Clawhauser let out a shrill squeal, reminding Nick that Judy’s friends had just witnessed that entire scene.

He whirled around to face them, embarrassed, “Uh-when I said head over heels I just meant-”

“You’re in _love_ with her!” they both cried out joyfully.

“I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!” Clawhauser gushed.

Nick’s ears flushed red and he glanced away. But just then Fru Fru’s phone buzzed with an incoming text message, the shrew opened up the message and her elated smile fell, “Oh no.”

 “Fru?” Clawhauser looked at his small friend with concern.

“I just got a message from Judy, she said she’s at the St. Vine Hospital in the Rainforest District and can’t talk right now.”

 Those words made Nick’s blood run cold, “Why is she at the hospital?”

“I don’t know,” Fru Fru looked up at the two with terrified concern, “She didn’t say.”

Just then the bell rang and the crowds outside headed inside, Clawhauser looked torn but ultimately picked up his friend, “We can’t just run off, Fru. I’m sure she’s fine, we’ll try to call her after first period.” They glanced at Nick one last time before heading inside with the rest of the crowd.

But Nick didn’t move, his imagination running rampant with what could possibly have happened to Judy, all the terrifying scenarios sent his heart pounding. He looked over his shoulder, out to the street where the Rainforest District and Judy were.

“I must be outta my mind.”


	79. Chapter 79

“Well what did you _think_ was going to happen?” Amy asked, not bothering to try and hide her frustration. Five of the litter looked at George who had a bandage wrapped around his head, an ice pack pressed against his cheek, curtsey of the St. Vine Hospital.

“I thought my buck teeth would be stronger than that jaguar’s fangs,” the bandaged bunny grumbled, moodily crossing his arms. “And I didn’t think that coconut would be as hard as a rock.”  
 Judy chuckled along with Fred while Gwen babied their brother and Amy and Harley rolled their eyes, there was few things the two agreed on but George (and by extension Fred) were one of them.

“Was this worth skipping class today, Judes?” Harley asked her sister, glancing over her shoulder at the gray rabbit.  
 “I miss hanging out with you guys,” she told her honestly, “Even you, Harlot, even though you drive me crazy.”

“The feeling’s mutual,” her sister teased back.

Besides, Judy wasn’t in any hurry to run into Nick again. She couldn’t help but have the fear that he had moved on from her…

            “Oh, oh!” Gwen left George’s side to run over to a sign, “The gondolas aren’t too far from here. Can we ride them back to Savannah Central?”

Fred looked at his sister with a twitching nose, “Since when are you a fan of heights, Gwen?”

 “Well, I…” her ears fell down as her expression turned bashful. “It’s just…Gideon told me they were a lot of fun and I should try it before I leave…”

“ _Ooo_ ,” Fred, George, and Harley teased, making Gwen’s ears blushed.

 “Pa’s going to have a heart attack when he finds out two of his daughters are crazy about some foxes,” George grinned before wincing in pain and placing a paw on the ice pack.

The fact George was completely right about she and Gwen being crazy about foxes had Judy’s gut twisted, she really wasn’t going to be able to go on like this. But she didn’t know what else to do.

 _Maybe I should go home…_ The thought made her swallow and she tried to push such thoughts out of her head as the fluffle of bunnies headed for the gondolas.

            They had just reached the docks where said forms of transportation could be reached, one heading toward them now, when a voice yelled out through the damp forest. Judy halted in her step, her eyes flew up and her fur bristled.

“ _JUDY_!”

 The Hopps rabbits turned around in time to see Nick rushing onto the dock, his fur wet from the rain soaked trees and his eyes wide. He reached the group and immediately dropped his paws onto his knees, sucking in desperate breaths as if his lungs weren’t working functionally.

 “N-Nick?” Judy began, her heart fluttering at the sigh to of him despite herself.

“The-The hospital guys told me-you-you were heading toward the gon-gondolas,” he spoke through loud gasps, looking like he was about to fall over.

“Did…did you _run_ all the way here from Savannah Central?” Amy asked him in disbelief.

He glanced away from the bunnies, his expression embarrassed and Judy’s eyes widened. He _had_! But why?

 Nick finally caught enough breath to straighten up and look at Judy, “You texted Fru Fru you were at the hospital. What happened?”

“Oh, that was because of me, Blueberries,” George held up his paw with a guilty expression. “I told a jaguar I could bite into a coconut with just one bite…I was wrong.”

Nick looked to George then back to Judy, “Then…then you’re fine?”

She shrugged, “Physically? Fit as a fiddle.”

The fox’s expression quickly turned from concern to mortification and he took a few steps back, “Oh…well, that’s good. Congratulations? Or…you know, glad you’re not like-dead or anything.”

 “Oh my gosh this is the cutest thing,” Harley laughed. “You _totally ran_ all the way from _Savannah Central_ because you thought Judy was hurt.” She smirked at her sister, “No wonder he didn’t fall for my charms, he’s totally in love with you, Jude.”  
Said Jude and Nick blushed at Harley’s words. But Amy was watching them with a thoughtful expression…

 “Not that what Nick did wasn’t really sweet,” Gwen spoke up, “But the gondola is here.” She pointed to said cart, which had temporarily stopped at the dock.

 “And Judy and Nick are getting on it,” Amy spoke up with finality.

“ _What_?” the bunny and fox exclaimed in unison. Too late Amy grabbed Judy’s arm and started to drag her to the gondola, George and Fred doing the same with Nick complete with teasing winks and smirks.

“Talk to him,” Amy whispered to Judy, “He wouldn’t have come if he was over you.” She pushed Judy into the gondola and Nick was quickly thrown in after, Amy slammed the door shut and just like that the two were taking away from Judy’s littermates and up into the sky-just the two of them.

            Judy quickly retreated to the front of the gondola, facing the scenery ahead with her arms wrapped around herself and her heart thumping like mad. A few seconds later Nick joined her side, crossing his wrists to rest on the edge of the gondola.

They sat through moments of awful silence as Judy tried to figure out what to say that she hadn’t already, something that would make Nick listen to her, something that told him she still loved him…

 “Thank you.”  
He glanced over at her, green eyes flashing, “Thank you?”

“You…you were worried about me,” she began but then doubt wormed into her heart, “I mean, that’s why you came to the Rainforest District, right?”

He gave her a painful expression and Judy swallowed, forgetting to note that Nick wasn’t following his mantra. He was letting her see that she got to him.

“You know what I was thinking when I ran all the way here, Carrots?” he asked softly, the soft wind ruffling his russet fur.

 “What?”

He looked down at the jungle below them. “I was thinking of all the reasons you would be in the hospital, the flu, broken bones, did you get hit by a car? Did you get attacked? Was it just a little cold? Or was it fatal?” He looked at her then, his eyes wide and shiny, “Those were the most terrifying minutes of my life…I was so happy when I saw that you were okay.”

 The words delivered a catch to her throat and she tried to speak but Nick kept talking: “My father visited, that one time, because he wanted to make it up to me and Rick, our time apart. He wanted to be a part of our lives again. I told him I would give it a try, I…I kinda want him back, Carrots.”

“That’s very big of you,” she replied softly.

“And before you texted Fru Fru that you were at the hospital Sue showed up at St. Zoo,” He smirked with grim satisfaction, “Let’s just say I put her in her place.”

That brought a smile to Judy’s lips, “I wish I could’ve seen it.”

He returned the smile for a fraction of a second before his mouth turned back into a thin line. “You didn’t tell anyone about Wilde Times, not even your friends.”

It wasn’t a question but Judy furiously shook her head anyway, “Of course not! I wouldn’t break my promise to you, Nick. No matter what happened between us.”

“You wouldn’t,” he nodded, looking at her like she was a puzzle he couldn’t figure out but was glad of the challenge. “You’ve been good to me…and I threw it back in your face. I was willing to give the fox that abandoned me a second chance but not you…”

“I don’t think I’m completely in the right either,” Judy admitted. “You were right, you opened up so much, it was ignorant and cruel of me to say I couldn’t trust you.”

“You probably shouldn’t,” Nick replied with a drop of bitterness. “Not after the way I acted.”  
 Judy’s brow then furrowed in anger and before Nick could blink she was climbing up to stand on the rim of the gondola, holding onto the roof above her while the wind whipped at her shirt.

Nick nearly jumped out of his fur, “What are you doing!?! You could _fall_!”

“I could,” she agreed, looking down at him, “But I trust you to catch me.”  
When he just looked at her she let one of her paws release the roof and held a foot out into the air, instantly Nick’s paws shot out, grabbing her waist and pulling her down back to his side. “Okay, okay! You trust me you dumb, crazy bunny! Don’t ever do that again!”

 He placed her on her feet and let his paws drop to the side and the two just stared at each other, silent but the air blowing across their fur. Judy spoke, “I’m sorry…for everything.”

 Nick swallowed loudly, his eyes shining and this time…Judy knew her apology was accepted.

“I’m sorry too,” he breathed.

 “Nick,” she began, “I’m not the most confident of bunnies, there will be times when I…when I will think about that bet.” She shot her arm out to grab his paw before he could move or speak or breathe. “But I trust you with what’s _important_. I trust that you’ll never hurt me, not intentionally. You won’t let the talk of animals who don’t understand get in the way, you’ll never stray from me, you’ll believe in me, you’re-you’re trust worthy and  I…I’m not sure how to explain this better.” She shrugged apologetically.

But Nick’s lips turned up into a soft smile and his eyes were warm, “I get it, Fluff. Love isn’t black and white. We’re not going to full understand, I don’t think we should, and it’s not something everyone can handle and it can bring _so_ much hurt…but then, there are moments where just a smile can make it all worth it, and it is Car- _Judy_. If there’s one thing that’s worth living for it’s love.”  
 She looked at him with surprise, “This is new. You sound like you know that for a fact.”

 His smile rose and his emerald eyes looked to actually sparkle with something stronger that fondness or adoration. “I’m starting to,” he breathed.

 Those words made Judy drop the paw she still held, her eyes big and wide as she stared at him. Did he…did he mean…did Nick…

 “I love you, Carrots.”  
 Tears sprung into her eyes and Judy let out a joyous and relieved laugh, trying to wipe away the tears, “Do-do you?”

“I should’ve said it the night you did,” he admitted. “But I was still so new to it. But considering I just ran to the Rainforest District, told off my exe while simultaneously saying you were the best thing to ever happen to me, couldn’t stop missing you and just wanting you back…I don’t know what else it could be.” He shrugged helplessly, “Sorry for the wait.”

 “Better late than never,” she grinned, still wiping at her eyes.

Nick, smile still in place, opened his arms out, “Alright, get in here.”

Judy took the few steps needed to reach his side and placed her head against his stomach, Nick chuckled and caressed her head with one paw, the other holding her shoulder and bringing her close. “Oh, you bunnies,” he sighed fondly and if Judy looked up she’d see his eyes brimming with his own set of unshed tears. “You’re so emotional.”

 

 

 


	80. Chapter 80

_“I think one of the best things about Zootopia is that no matter what species you are you have a chance to find kinship, friendship, even love, in these hot squares and chilling towns.”_

            “You look nice,” Dawn breathed, standing by Leodore who was now dressed in his graduation garbs.

The lion stood in the gym where the other graduates waiting for the ceremony to start, looking down at the black gown, the cap atop his mane. He smiled proudly and Dawn felt tightness in her throat.

Despite him being a grade above her she and Leodore had never truly been separated, always finding each other during lunch and recess. It got better when they reached high school because they had classes together. But now her best friend in the whole world was graduating, moving off to college without her.

True it would only be a year but that was far more time than she had ever been without the feline. And all the doubts of their newfound relationship churned acid in her stomach.

            But Leodore knew her. Knew her all too well. “You’re upset.”  
 “I’m not upset,” she insisted.

“Yes you are, if you weren’t you’d be on my tail about not making valedictorian.”

She huffed, playing her hooves on her hips, “You’re my friend, it reflects badly on me that you didn’t make valedictorian.”  
 Leodore shrugged, not bothered by her annoyance. Instead he gazed at her as if seeing her for the first time, “You haven’t changed much…since when we were kids. Yeah you’re a bit meaner, but you’ve barely grown.”

She scowled, “Sheep don’t get that big.”  
 “I know,” his eyes were warm. “It actually makes me kinda happy actually.”

“Why would it do that?”

 He knelt down beside her, “Just makes me feel nostalgic, it’s comforting.” He shrugged, “Does that make sense?”

 “Yeah…” her voice cracked and Leodore’s eyes widened when her saw her big eyes becoming glassy. “Oh, Leo, I’m never going to see you again!”

 “Don’t you start crying, Lamb,” Leodore pulled her to him with a paw, she buried her face into his mane. “If you start crying then I’ll start crying and then we go outside and Percy sees and _he’ll_ start crying-if he hasn’t already-and Lucy will laugh and Otto will be uncomfortable and I don’t even want to know what my parents will do.” Her chuckle came out shaky against his warm fur, taking in his familiar scent, “Don’t forget my mom.”

“Oh _no_!” Leodore gasped, “She’s _definitely_ going to be crying!”

 “I don’t know what I’m gong to do without you,” Dawn mumbled sadly, her fingers digging into his fur.

“It’s just a year,” he whispered softly, running his fingers over the wool on her head. “You’ll be in college for me before you know it.”

“Time will fly for you, not me,” she breathed. “You could forget all about me.”

 Leodore shook his head, “No, Lamb. Not you. Not the little sheep who liked me before I grew my mane in. I swear I’ll always call and text, all the time if that’s what it takes to make you happy.”   
She felt herself smile despite the damp in her eyes, “Do you have any idea what you plan on majoring in once you get there?”

 “I’m been considering a few options,” he answered as she took a step back. “You know, I think I’d like to be mayor of Zootopia.”  
He laughed when Dawn’s eyes bulged in horror, “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Lamb.” He placed a sweet kiss on her nose, “Love you too.”

           

            _“Though I have personally experienced times when life here was less than perfect, where it was hard be it because of how you saw yourself or how others saw you.”_

            Charlie and Sven were the perfect example of content, sitting in the bleachers with the rest of the graduation’s audience, his arm around her waist and her tail wound around his hips. She snuggled into the thick fur of his neck, purring.

Just a few short days ago Charlie had officially moved back into her parents’ home, Sven helping her unpack. And much to both of their surprise, Charlie’s father asked Sven to stay for dinner.

 It was an awkward dinner, to say the least, the very obvious fact that her parents were simply tolerating the reindeer very obvious. But eventually Sven started to tell him about his music, about how he had been composing songs, meeting up with record dealers, even Gazelle had talked to him about doing a collaboration together. In short he was telling them how he planned to be successful in the future, and he didn’t hesitate to brag about how well Charlie did in sports. And the cheetah knew, that by seeing how passionate Sven was about both their talents, that her parents opinion of him lifted a notch and the cheetah could’ve cried tears of joy.

Instead she took in the wintry scent of the reindeer she loved and relaxed.

 

            _“But I’ve also seen true courage, the bravery to face whatever mishaps and tragedies life throws your way. To step up for what you believe in, to express how you feel, and to make your greatest desires-dreams-a reality.”_

            Winter watched as the group of graduating seniors walked out onto the grassy field, she noted a few looks scared but most had wide smiles on their faces, so excited for the next chapter of their life.

She was ready too.

            “Look at him.”

Winter glanced to her left and nearly jumped out of her fur to see Honey had someone slipped unnoticed to her side. The badger didn’t look at her, instead her glassy eyes were on the graduates, her lip wobbled. Winter then remembered that one of those graduates was Finnick, she studied the crowd and finally found him in the mass of taller animals, he looked impassive and his cap was too small to atone for his gigantic ears.

 “Sorry,” Honey apologized, smiling ruefully at Winter who’s breath caught. “I know he’s older but I always felt like kind like a mom or big sister to him and Nick, speaking of that poor fox is probably heart broken his best friend’s graduating.”  
Winter nodded, “I can understand being heart broken.” The words came out involuntarily and she sucked in a horrified breath, biting her lip.

Honey looked at her weirdly but didn’t question her comment, “Well, at least summer’s just around the corner. Maybe we’ll run into each other.”  
Winter doubted it.

 “I’m gonna go find my seat,” Honey said after a moment of silence. “See you later.”  
 “Honey,” Winter said, her voice cracking slightly.

The badger stopped and looked back to her, “Hm?”

Winter swallowed, she didn’t know what to say but she couldn’t just let Honey walk away again. Not for another summer, another school year, and the vixen couldn’t take it anymore.

 “So, um…” she licked her lips. “Remember the winter formal?”  
 “Yeah?”

“Well, you were right. I went by myself because the animal I wanted to take didn’t ask me.”  
 Honey cocked her head to the side, “Oh?”

“Rather I…I didn’t ask her,” Winter went on, keeping her eyes on the ground below.

“Why not?”

 Winter couldn’t tell if the badger had caught on or not. She decided to repeat what she had told Charlie months ago, “She’s different and-and she’s not like anyone I know. She’s liked me since before”-she indicated to herself that was no longer a slouchy dork-“this. But I was scared to tell her, I’m not even sure why, I just am and I don’t know what else to do and…” She rubbed at her eyes, feeling a stinging sensation, “I don’t know what else to say.”

 “Winter,” Honey spoke her name and it was somehow the most comforting sound she had ever heard.

She looked up to see the badger had extender her paw, offering it to the artic fox. Winter looked up to meet her eyes.

Honey smiled.

Winter took the outstretched paw.

 

            _“It makes us strong, it makes us able to face anything and let me tell you I’ve gone through a_ lot _these years. But I’m lucky enough to have amazing family and found wonderful friends to help me along the way, and I never forgot to always believe in the one animal in charge of where I go from here-_ me _.”_

            “It’s…cozy.”

Wade gave Gazelle a smirk before playing his box of clothes on the bed, he placed his paws on his hips and looked around the guest room of his aunt’s house. It was now his bedroom.

            After spending time in court rooms Wade’s father had been sent to the city penitentiary and his mother to rehab, his aunt also took custody over him (even though he’d be eighteen come summer). Wade didn’t complain, his was in an immense state of relief, but also disbelief, it was hard to believe he’d never have to go back to that rotten house, smell his mother’s cigarette-stained scent, feel the pain of one of his father’s blows. And having Gazelle smiling at him now certainly didn’t hurt.

 “You may scoff but it’s bigger than my last room.” He then winked, deciding to try out his flirting skills, “Course, if you want me to spend the night at your place I won’t refuse.”

Gazelle giggled, her ears turning a fine shade of pink. Only a few nights ago did the two finally make love. It had been a slow process, Wade had been scared of accidentally hurting her, but it had still been amazing and something Gazelle was willing to do again.

            But before anymore suggestive comment could be said Jenna and Lily raced into the room, blurs of ginger and white. They tackled their brother’s legs, nearly knocking him to the ground.

“Easy, easy,” he urged gently, his eyes warm and tender as he smiled at the two.

“Sorry,” Lily smiled.

“It’s so awesome you’re finally gonna live here with us,” Jenna grinned, showing off all her teeth. “We can build blanket forts and watch scary movies and you can help us with our homework and-”

“And Gazelle can come over all the time!” the usually soft-spoken Lily burst out. The three wolves looked over to the smiling singer.

“Will you?” the sisters asked hopefully.

 Gazelle stared right into Wade’s striking green eyes with a affectionate smile as she spoke: “I’m never going away.”

 

            _“And that’s what it all comes down to, me, you, all of us. We all have a chance, a responsibility, to see our dreams became real, no matter how outlandish, and no matter if we tower over trees or are as small as a pebble.”_

            Before Finnick walked out onto the field with his fellow graduates he was stopped in the gym by Fru Fru who had rushed toward him, struggling for breath once she reached him.

 “You okay?” he asked, his tone always becoming more gentle when he spoke to her.

“I’m fine,” she gasped then, when she finally caught her breath, “I wanted to talk to you before you went out.”  
 “I’m listening,” he twitched his large ears.

“I know I should’ve said this like, months ago and it doesn’t matter now but if I don’t say it it’ll haunt me for the rest of my life.” She met his eyes, “Finnick, I have a very big crush on you.”  
 He just smiled, “I already kinda figured, subtlety isn’t your strong suit.”

She flinched as if he had rejected her and looked down bashfully, “Yes…and again it hardly matters your graduating I just thought you deserved to know _some time_ , sorry.”

“Don’t say sorry,” Finnick urged, “I’m flattered.”

She looked up at him with big sparkly eyes. “Fru, it isn’t often a socialite like yourself would notice someone scruffy like me, I liked that you kept crushing on me.”

“You never said anything,” she pointed out.

 He shrugged apologetically, “I was kinda a senior and you were kinda a freshman, I didn’t think it would work out.”

 She glanced down again, her shoulders drooping, “Good point.”

“ _But_ ,” he continued to smile, he didn’t smile often. “Once you graduate, feel free to call me.” He leaned down and placed a soft kiss against the length of her soft muzzle, “You’re one of a kind Fru Fru, ‘member that.”

 He walked out of the gym while the poor shrew tried to keep from fainting.

 

.

 

            “So I guess this whole valedictorian speech comes to how crazy Zootopia is, how crazy St. Zoo is, how crazy and wonderful everyone I’ve got to know is, how crazy and wonderful _I_ am, and can become.” Rick smiled from the podium, his eyes going over the crowds on the bleachers but focusing on his mother, his brother, May, Morris, Judy… “I’m leaving this place with years of knowledge and wisdom but you know what? I don’t think I’m prepared in the least for this crazy world.” He bared his teeth in a smiling chuckle, “And I couldn’t be more excited. To my fellow graduates, to the students of St. Zoo who still have some pages to go before their next chapter, to all the adults out there who are already chapters ahead of me: “We can all be anything, we call be with anyone…we can all be the best we could possibly ever be…we just have to try.”  
            The audience broke into cheers and Rick had to swallow past the pressure in his throat, his smile never waning.

When the speeches finished and the caps were tossed his mother was the first to reach him, running across the field and nearly tackling him to the ground in a hug so fierce it made his ribs crack.

“My little baby,” she sobbed happily into his fur, “Why did you have to grow up so quickly?”  
Rick returned the hug, trying to speak through the embrace how much he loved and appreciated this incredible vixen who, despite the obstacles, got him to where he was now. And, he supposed, getting pregnant with a fox who while hadn’t come to the graduation had mailed a very generous graduation check.

            When Amelia finally released him Rick looked around for Nick and spotted him kneeling on the grass and hugging Finnick like the small fox would vanish if he let go. And much unlike Finnick he was returning the hug, not looking like he was in any hurry to be released. Rick left them to it, he knew that was a strong friendship that was tragically being separated.

 “Congratulations, _Broken Snout_ ,” Judy was suddenly before Rick and he smiled happily at the rabbit, accepting her hug.

“Thanks, Binky,” he said warmly. “How did you like my speech?”

“It was great,” she assured, “I might have to steal it for when _I’m_ valedictorian.”  
He chuckled softly, “I’ll sue.” He turned semi-serious, “You’ll keep an eye out for Nick for me, won’t you?”

“Of course,” she said, “But you better keep in touch.”

“I will,” he promised.

  Judy then looked over her shoulder; Rick followed her gaze to see May and Morris standing a few feet away.

 “I’ll leave you be,” Judy smiled up at him, eyes shining with fondness. “It was an absolute pleasure to get to know you, Richard Lazarus Wilde.”  
The way she said it made his throat tighten, “You too, Judith Laverne Hopps,” his voice was full of sincerity and he waved goodbye as the smart bunny who’d always have a place in his heart skipped off.

            Rick walked to May and Morris and his heart fluttered, “Thanks for making it.”  
 “Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” May returned his smile. She looked down at Morris whose paw she held, “Plus I just had to show off Mr. Doesn’t Need An Oxygen Tank.”

Rick knelt down to be at eye level with the polar bear cub, “Good to hear. How you feeling?”

 “Awesome,” the cub explained, smiling widely. “May said you’re coming back to Manehattan to go to college!”

Rick winked, “I just might.”

“Then you can visit the hospital all the time!”

“You won’t be in the hospital for much longer Morris,” May reminded the cub.

When the polar bear looked put out Rick assured, “We’ll hang out again.” He stood up and turned his eyes to May, “We all can.”

May smirked teasingly, “Well far be it from us to refuse your orders, _Dr. Wilde_.”

 

.

 

            St. Zoo was known to have some spectacular graduation parties and this one would be no different. Especially considering they had a pop star who was more than willing to stage a free concert for her fellow classmates.

 But Judy hadn’t followed the crowd into the gym where from even here she could hear Gazelle playing one of her smash hits.

 She sat at the top of the bleachers, looking out to the large school that would be her home for three more years, where she knew she would go through so many different things before her time here was up. It was both exciting, terrifying, and a little depressing.

            But she wasn’t out there for long before she felt a warm gaze on her back. She smirked, not turning to look behind her, “I know I’m handsome and all but stalking is a crime.”

 Nick laughed as he climbed up to stand beside her, resting his elbows on the railing. “I wasn’t stalking, I was _staring_.”

Judy smiled up at the fox, “Did you finally tell your brother you’re proud of him?”

“Yeah,” Nick replied, his emerald eyes on the school building. “Got a little misty-eyed, gave him a speech about curfew and to always wear protection and to hit the books before he hit the drinks.”

Judy sniggered and gently elbowed his ribs, “You’re impossible.”

“Yet you’re in love with me anyone,” he winked.

“Against my better judgment,” she shot back.

 Nick grinned at her but his ears flicked up in curiosity, “But seriously Carrots, what are you doing out here all by yourself?”

 “I just wanted some alone time to think,” she admitted. “Seeing Rick and Finnick and the rest of the seniors graduate…it just makes me feel like time is going to fly by.” Judy’s ears drooped, “You only have one more year left.”

“Don’t,” Nick began, wrapping his arm around her to pull her toward him, “Don’t worry about things like that, Carrots. I’m not leaving the city like Rick; I just plan on taking a few online classes to help me get Wilde Times off the ground.” He gave her a sincere look, “I’m not going to run out on you.”

Judy snuggled into his chest for a moment, “You’re right…you’re right.”  
 “As for that time flying by thing, we just have to make every second count.”  
Judy smiled up at him, “That was quite insightful of you.”  
Nick grinned, “Your boyfriend is almost as smart as you.”

            Judy’s ears twitched as she heard the distance tune of one of her favorite Gazelle’s songs, “Let’s get to the party.”

They walked down the bleachers and headed across the grass toward the gym, but before they made it Nick stopped. “Wait,” he grabbed Judy’s paw, bringing her to a halt.

“What is it?” Judy followed his look and spotted a lone flower, a violet of all things, swaying the grass. She smiled.

 Nick reached down and plucked it before offering to it with a flourish, “This is for putting up with my less than charming side.”  
 “You’re worth it,” she smiled, accepting the violet and bringing it under her twitching nose.

“And _this_ ,” Nick continued, “Is because you know you love me.” His paws caged her cheeks and brought his lips down to hers, bringing her into a soft and warm kiss.

 Judy’s eyes fluttered as he pulled away with his wolfish smile, her lips turned up, “Do I know that?”

 Nick playfully rolled his eyes as he continued onward, keeping their paws interlocked.

Judy smiled at the violet before turning her eyes up at the fox who glanced back at her to return the grin.

 “Yes, yes I do.”

 

.

 

            Gazelle swayed around the gym’s floor, not bothering with a stage when she’d rather dance around with her friends and classmates.

“ _I won’t give up, no I won’t given in,_

_‘Til I reach the end and then I’ll stat again_

_No I won’t leave, I wanna try everything_

_I wanna try even though I could fall.”_

            One of the most obvious dancers was Clawhauser, dancing around with Bogo (who had originally been a closet Gazelle fan), Fru Fru not far off, laughing and smiling at the two. She spotted Finnick sitting on a chair away from the stomping feet of much bigger animals, when his eyes met her she smiled bashfully and he grinned with amusement.

Percy passed by Fru Fru, Otto pulling him around the floor with the smooth movement only an otter could possess, while Percy looked nervous at stepping on the otter’s feet he still looked like he was having fun.

            “ _Look how far you’ve come; you filled your heart with love_

_Baby you’ve done enough, take a deep breath_

_Don’t beat yourself up, don’t need to run so fast_

_Sometimes we come last, but we did our best.”_

Lucy, who had arrived at the party uninvited, smiled toward Leodore and Dawn, the lion holding the ewe to his chest and swaying without rhythm to the song, the lioness doubted he was even listening and she smiled at the adorableness of such an odd couple.

 Sven and Charlie meanwhile were trying to prove they were the couple with the real talent, swaying back and forth to the music, fingers interlocked and playful smiles across their faces. But their professional dancing was interrupted when they were barreled into by Winter and Honey.

 The two offered laughing apologies, having been spinning around in no rhyme or reason manner. Honey quickly grabbed Winter’s paw and pulled her closer to the main group of dancers, as she did Winter smiled ecstatically at Sven and Charlie, pointing frenetically toward the badger as she did so.

Sven and Charlie applauded her with humorous smirks.

 Rick and May took turns spinning Morris around (who was so happy to be attending a _Gazelle_ concert!) before the cub quickly insisted the two share a dance. They did so, smiling as they remembered their first dance during the winter break. They broke into laughter when Morris huffed and stated they weren’t dancing, they were just spinning around while holding paws. The two picked up the cub and hugged him, squeezing the laughing bundle of fur between them.

 Meanwhile Gazelle had shimmied over to Wade while she sang, the wolf smirking at her as he took her offered hoof and easily spun her under his arm.

 “ _I’ll keep on making those new mistakes_

_I’ll keep on making them every day_

_Those new mistakes.”_

            Judy and Nick walked into the gym, the bunny pouting when she realized the song was almost over.

 “Don’t worry,” Nick smiled at her, “She goes to school with us you’ll see her sing live again. In fact, I’ll even buy you tickets for her next concert.”  
She looked up at him, raising her eyebrows, “ _You_ can get Gazelle tickets?”

He winked at her, “Don’t underestimate me, Fluff.”  
 “Never,” she rolled her eyes, “But since the song isn’t over yet.” She smoothly knocked her hip into his with a flirty grin, making the fox stumble.

He grinned at her before grabbing her and lifting her off her feet, spinning her around to make the bunny laugh.

 “ _Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,”_ Gazelle continued _, “Try Everything. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, Try Everything.”_

 Judy glanced toward the singer to see she had already wrapped her arms around Wade’s neck, their noses brushing against each other as her shining eyes smiled at him, _“Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, Try Everything.”_

 Judy, starting to feel dizzy from Nick’s spinning, distracted him by wrapped her arms and legs around him and pressing her mouth against his own. She noticed from the corner of her eye that his tail bristled excitedly, his arms clutching her tightly.

She broke away from his lips but didn’t lean away, letting their noses kiss, their grip on each other not slacking and their loving smiles not waning as the song continued: _“Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.”_

 Gazelle’s voice dwindled off, not planning to sing the last line but that was fine because just then Bobby Catmull (who no one realized was even there) sang out, his voice loud and smooth and pleasant:

 “ _TRY EVERYTHING!”_

  **  
**

           


End file.
